


Life With the Bone Brigade

by ValkyrieOfSmut



Category: Horrortale (undertale au), Swapfell (undertale au), Underfell (Undertale AU), Underswap (Undertale AU), Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Horrortale (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Swapfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underswap (Undertale), Alternate Universe - Underverse (Undertale), Anal Sex, Angst, Asexuality Spectrum, Blueberry is a Dom (Surprise!), Cinnamon Roll Papyrus (Undertale), Cinnamon roll Papyrus (Horrortale), Demisexuality, Ecto-Genitalia (Undertale), Ecto-Penis (Undertale), Ecto-Tongue (Undertale), Ectobiology, Eventual Romance, Eventual Smut, Everyone Is An Adult, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Female Reader, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Horrortale Papyrus (Undertale), Horrortale Sans (Undertale), Knotting, Light Bondage, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Most of the Skeletons want the Reader, Multi, Oral Sex, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Polyamory, Rating will change, Reader Is Not Chara (Undertale), Reader Is Not Frisk (Undertale), Reader has a green SOUL, Reader has a vagina, Reader-Insert, References to Knotting, Reverse Harem, Shameless Smut, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Smut, Soul Sex, Swapfell Papyrus (Undertale), Swapfell Sans (Undertale), Tall Reader, Threesome - F/M/M, Underfell Papyrus (Undertale), Underfell Sans (Undertale), Underswap Papyrus (Undertale), Underswap Sans (Undertale), Undertale Monsters on the Surface, Undertale Skeletons in Heat, Underverse, Vaginal Fingering, Vaginal Sex, because Horrortale Sans, but that doesn't mean that EVERYONE is interested in sex!, lots of possibilities, some scary themes, which means that EVERYONE may do adult things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 00:21:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 34
Words: 104,380
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24584485
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ValkyrieOfSmut/pseuds/ValkyrieOfSmut
Summary: (Y/n) lost her job, which sucks. If only she hadn't lost her second job, and apartment, as well! Now all she's got is a camper full of her crap on the back of her truck, and nowhere to go. At least she found this campground, even if it is in the middle of nowhere, and looks like no one has been around it for a while, and a skeleton with a head wound tries to make her into a meal... Rough start to making new friends, but his brother is sweet enough!And then there's the other skeletons who inhabit the other cabins, who all look vaguely similar... Their explanation of "cousins" only goes so far, but there are more concerning things to worry about, like how almost every skeleton is trying to get into her pants, their heats, and where her clothes, particularly her socks, keep disappearing to?!
Relationships: Axe (Horrortale)/Reader, Blackberry (Swapfell)/Reader, Blueberry (Underswap)/Reader, Mutt (Swapfell)/Reader, Papyrus (Swapfell)/Reader, Papyrus (Underswap)/Reader, Red (Underfell)/Reader, Sans (Horrortale)/Reader, Sans (Swapfell)/Reader, Sans (Underfell)/Reader, Sans (Underswap)/Reader, Sans (Undertale)/Reader, Stretch (Underswap)/Reader
Comments: 1448
Kudos: 1506





	1. Too emotional to drive

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, welcome to this story, blah blah blah... Don't get me wrong, I'm super excited about this story, I just don't want to bore you with all the general "and I worked really hard on it, please enjoy it..." stuff. Doesn't mean I didn't work hard or I don't want you to enjoy it, just not into filling up space with a lot of that stuff... Oh... wait... might be too late... lol  
> This is the basic "group of skeletons, reverse harem, reader lives there, now" story, with lots of sexy times, hopefully, once we get into the swing of things!  
> 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A note... the whole situation about being reader being fired after being told she's going furlough and then getting screwed over super hard, that happened to a bunch of people from my coworker's other job, including her and one of our new employees. Fuck that company, seriously. Right in their eye. And then up their nose.  
> Also, for anyone who doesn't know, furlough is basically, the place you are employed at has a slow season, so they can't pay you, you take time off, and when it picks back up, you go back to work like you never left.

" _'You should feel lucky you still have a job-'_ " (Y/n) mocked, her hands clenching on the steering wheel, "yeah, well you could have _fucking fooled me_!" She gave a shout to let out her frustrations, which then turned to a sob. "What about the fucking clients, you fucking assholes," she whined. "What about poor Shannon? Does she even know that we all got fired?" 

She didn’t think so. After all, Shannon hadn’t been on the conference call that had gone out to a group of the more senior employees, being told that due to the circumstances, they were having to furlough some employees. 

Furlough was all fine and dandy; collect unemployment until things get straightened out, and then go back to work. 

But no. 

The email she and the longer employed, higher paid, employees got said that they had been terminated. 

Not only that, but they were classifying it in some way that prevented them from qualifying for the special unemployment the government had set up for people who lost their jobs due to the disaster. 

And, they were taking _forever_ to put in their paperwork, so they couldn’t even draw the normal unemployment. 

And all medical benefits were ended, retroactively to the end of the month, which was the day after the call. Probably to make it easier so that they didn’t have to have them on the books at all for that month. 

(Y/n) shook her head, trying to focus on where she was driving. 

"Fucking back stabbers," she murmured, one hand wiping the tears out of her eyes. 

She needed to pull over. She really wasn't in the right emotional state to be driving. 

She looked around, seeing nowhere to pull over on the narrow, one and a half lane road. 

"Shit," she muttered as she wiped her eyes again and looked around, finally seeing a small driving path off the side of the road. "Better than the middle of the road," she muttered. 

It seemed to be a back road, like one that forest rangers used to check on camp grounds or wildlife or whatever. 

(Y/n) slowly let her truck make its way up the slight incline of the trail, glad that none of the trees were so close she had to worry about the camper on the back catching on them. 

She wouldn't be able to turn around, but, once she got to a clearing she'd make the turn. She just really needed to take a break so she didn't crash. 

The last thing she wanted was to die accidentally and just be wiped from the map without a trace, to be found in the distant future by some poor, unsuspecting hikers… if ever… 

No one even knew she was out here. 

No one even knew she’d lost her apartment the week before due to losing her other job two weeks ago and not being able to make ends meet. 

It wasn’t like it was a surprise that she’d lost her other job; it was a small cafe that was slowly losing business, and the only other people to work there were Kelly, the owner, and her husband. 

She knew that they were going to be closing the doors all together pretty soon, most likely. 

At least she could use the experience she’d gotten there in real life… if she could ever afford to buy food again… 

She would- she’d get another job-! 

Right…? 

(Y/n) pressed the brakes gently to stop easily, not wanting to rearrange all of her stuff in the camper. 

She wiped her eyes again, then cursed. If the ranger, or whoever this road was for came up here, they wouldn't be able to get past her since the road was barely wide enough for her truck. 

(Y/n) wiped her eyes again and sighed as she put the truck back in gear and gently started going again. 

It took a long time to get to anywhere wider where she could pull over, at least it seemed to take forever, but it might have just been how slowly she had to go to make sure she didn't run over anything in this overgrown jungle of a forest lit only by the late afternoon sun. 

Finally, she reached a place where it widened, even seeing a rock lined, weed spotted, dirt parking spot next to a mostly cleared patch of ground. 

She pulled over and parked in the space, satisfied enough to be off the road and out of the way for a moment to let her held back break down go. 

Tears. 

Tears falling. 

Oh, the tears… 

She would have been ashamed of all the tears that were leaving her eyes, had anyone else been around to see it… 

Luckily, there wasn’t anyone, and no one came up through the road to tell her to move on. 

She hoped she wasn’t trespassing on someone’s property who would shoot on sight… or that she’d passed a sign saying such that she’d just missed due to her emotional state. 

Also luckily, an emotionally wrecked woman generally had a lot of pull in the empathy department, so she could probably keep from getting in trouble as long as she didn’t meet any sociopaths. 

After what felt like twenty minutes, but turned out to be two hours, she looked around, wiping her eyes on her shirt as she took in the area she had to turn around in. 

It was _really_ getting dark, now… dark enough that she knew she’d probably crash into a tree if she tried to leave right now. 

Well, I have to stay _somewhere_ tonight, and here’s as good a place as any, she thought. It’ll only be for the night, anyway. 

She again prayed that there weren’t any ‘shoot on sight’ signs she’d missed, and got out of the truck, grabbing her flashlight and heading a bit away to relieve herself before it got too dark to do so. 

On the way back, she nearly fell into a hole, catching herself at the last minute and just stepping into it, instead. 

Ash puffed around her in a cloud, a soft hazy gray in the dusky twilight. She shined her flashlight down into the pit she was standing in and let out a soft, “huh…” 

It was a fire pit.

It looked like it hadn’t been used in a while, but, camping season _was_ just starting. 

She stepped back out of the hole and set her light to the ground, being more careful, now. 

When she got to the edge of the parking spot, she saw it. 

A fallen sign. 

She picked it up to uncover it from the grass and what she saw put her more at ease. 

**-Tent Lot 48**

It _was_ a campsite! This was great! She’d just park here, she had, literally, all of her stuff in the camper, so she had everything she’d need to survive, supposedly, and she could use the bit of money she had to pay the site fee until she could find a new job and a new cheap apartment!

She’d register if any ranger ever wandered to where she was, which was pretty likely, since it was probably the time the camp caretakers or rangers would be around to do maintenance on the sites for the season. 

(Y/n) checked her phone, turning it on power saving mode so she wouldn’t have to charge it so often, and checked for service. 

Yes! She had three or four bars out here! 

She could make this work! 

She was going to be ok. 

Minor setbacks were bound to happen in life, but it was all about how you handled them that made you who you were. 


	2. The Butcher's invitation to dinner

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axe happens across the Reader and "invites" her to dinner.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case the title doesn't make sense, one of Horrortale Sans' nicknames is the Butcher. Cause, y'know... he cut up all the humans for the others to eat like the man at the meat market. heh heh heh...

Sans trudged through the tall, thick grass, glaring at it with his one good eye. 

He hated this stupid grass. Especially when he had to crouch down and it tickled the hole in his skull. 

This grass could go to hell.

He knew what awaited it- he’d been there until recently. 

“heh,” he huffed a laugh at his own dark ‘joke’ as he continued around this side of the cabin. There had to be some dumb animal somewhere that had stepped into his brother’s traps… 

There had to be, because he wasn’t going to let his brother go hungry. 

Never. 

Not in hell, and not here. 

The sound of movement caught his attention, and he crouched as he got closer, the grass tickling at the hole in his skull, as he hated. He suppressed a growl as he looked around for what was making the noise, giving a tug at his near dead eye socket to keep himself on track when another noise distracted him. 

There. 

A human. 

Of fucking course. 

You go out into the middle of fucking no where, with _no one_ around- and humans still find a way to appear! 

They were like pests! 

Well… 

Maybe it wasn’t such a bad thing that this human was there… 

He’d had pest before, and while not his favorite flavor, it would keep his brother from being hungry. 

_That_ was the important thing. 

Sans straightened and shoved his hands into his dirty jacket pockets before making his way toward the human. 

He was pretty close, though not dangerously close, yet. Not any more, anyway, when he didn’t have enough magic to fuel a longer range attack. It was always easy to get close enough to this prey, though. Ridiculously easy; you just had to distract them by talking until you were close enough, then- boom- a swing of the axe and they were dinner. 

He still wasn’t in danger range when she looked up and saw him coming closer. 

She didn’t say anything, just watched him as he got closer. 

Mistake. 

Soon to be deadly mistake. 

“hey,” he greeted laxly. 

“Hey,” she greeted back, a little calmer, though still reserved. She continued to watch him as he got closer, her actions in making a fire abandoned. 

“‘bout dinner time, huh?” He commented. 

“Yep,” she answered with false cheer. “You- have dinner planned out?”

Sans’ grin curved wickedly. “not quite yet. got some ideas, though.” 

Her eyes went to his feet to gage how far away he was and his pace, then swept around the area, before settling on him, her head turning as she kept an ear out for anyone else. 

“You planning on sharing a pot?” She asked. 

He had no idea if that had some other meaning than joining the food of two or more households for a meal, so he went with what he knew. “nah. not a lot left for us to share.” 

(Y/n) felt her heart pounding in her throat at his low, gravelly voice. 

She wasn’t afraid of monsters, though there were some that were intimidating when first meeting them, and she loved Halloween enough to have grown up seeing skeletons all over, even spooky, gruesome looking skeletons like this one. 

What was making the hair rise on the back of her neck was the complete feeling of terror he seemed to be striking in her without even trying, the survival fight or flight that she relied on at her, now previous, job picking up automatically. The thinly veiled threats of… she wasn’t sure if cannibalism was the right word… cooking her for dinner, weren’t helping, either. 

She thanked god that she’d just re upped her training before all this bullshit happened, so all the moves that let her take down a client two or three times her size mid rampage were fresh in her mind. 

She swiftly moved her hands up, taking the band from her hair and putting it up higher and tighter so it wouldn’t be an easy grab if it did come down to a fight, meanwhile keeping him talking. “So, you’re out here camping, too, huh?” 

Sans was thrown for a moment, his eye light fluctuating. 

Oh yeah, that’s right. He’d forgotten that this area used to be campgrounds before the others had bought it for their purposes. 

“could say we’re here long term. heh.” He was still moving forward, straight toward her. 

He and whoever else was included in his ‘us’ lived out here… 

(Y/n) stored that with the observation that he slowed down when the strange red light in his eye socket had fuzzed a bit. 

"you register for the plot?" Sans asked as he got closer, knowing damn well she didn't, since there wasn't a way to. 

"U-uh," she stuttered, standing. From this distance, it looked like she was taller, or at least the same height, and it made her feel a bit better, though she hadn't really expected to be shorter than him, anyway. "You the campground manager?" She asked, slightly thrown off by his question. 

Sans chuckled. She was doing very well at seeming calm, but he could smell her fear. 

She was smart, trying to keep an eye on her surroundings, trying to keep some sort of edge on him, trying not to give him any information… but none of her cleverness was going to help her in the end. She was still going to feed his brother. 

His eyelight slid over her, taking in her height and form. She was bigger than he'd first thought, about as tall as him. He didn't feel like he had the strength to carry her heavy, human ass all the way to his and Pap's cabin. He would if he had to, but… Why not make it easy on himself? 

"mm. well, i do live in the cabin right over there, and i am one of the owners," he gestured in the direction of his cabin. "you could come do the check in there. don't have the necessary things to do it here. obviously wasn’t expecting anyone out here." 

She deflected. 

He pushed. 

She suggested doing it in the morning, after breakfast, in the daylight, giving her a chance to get away… 

He insisted. 

He had her backed into the figurative corner, blocking her path to the truck it was again too dark to drive away from here. 

This is it, (Y/n) thought, this is where I die. I somehow ended up in a horror movie. 

You _obviously_ don't go with the murder in the movies- it's the most basic rule! But, in her gut, she knew, with absolute certainty; Either he kills me here, or I go with him, and buy myself some time… 

All of the things she ever remembered hearing survivors of kidnappings and other horrible things say started playing in her mind. 

Humanize herself- make it so he couldn't see her as an object. How did she do that?

"Aren't you afraid of it being too dark? What if I can't find my way back after?" She asked, hoping the small vulnerability might endear her a little.

"i wouldn't worry about it, there are lights out and about."

"Anyone ever tell you that you're a bit pushy?" She asked, hoping to sound a little tougher like she could convince him she was on his level. 

"i'm a bit far away to be able to be _pushin'_ you," he told her, his voice still his same neutral, though his smile turned up a bit. 

Humor. She could use humor to humanize herself. 

She also should put him at ease by seeming compliant.

(Y/n) took a half step forward to show she was willing, but hesitant. Let him think he nearly had her on the hook. 

"As I'm sure you can imagine, it'd be silly to go anywhere with a stranger," he made an amused noise, "and I don't know you, so… What's your name?" 

oh, c'mon, little lamb, he thought. you're making this so _e a s y._ His grin stretched again, seeming menacing. "heh. sans." 

A breath of relief left her lungs. An easy one! 

" _Sans-_ sational," she replied. "My name is (Y/n). There! Now we're friends!" She declared, as if that sealed the deal. 

A look of distaste fluttered across his face, and she wondered if it was working… Or if she'd just pissed him off. 

Next thing.

Relate to gain empathy. 

"D-do you have any siblings?" She asked. When he didn't answer for a moment, she supplied, "I love my family, sisters, brothers, mom, dad-" names, she had to make them human and real, too, even if they weren't- "Emily, Cassy, Ava, Justin, Isaiah, Eddy," she took a breath, trying to think of more things to make her seem relatable and more personable as they started walking, her keeping a distance and pace that let her keep him in sight. 

He was just staring at the grass as they walked, a slight glare on his face. 

It was getting darker, and she didn't know how his eyesight was in the dark, but she'd been out here for two days already, and she was used to the natural light, not inhibited by normally being around the bright, false light like he would probably be. She might have an advantage, if she could just get back to her truck after hitting him away from her or something to give herself more time… 

"A-and then there's my clients- though they-" 

"brother," he finally muttered. 

"-really are mo- I'm sorry, what was that?" She asked. 

"i have a brother." 

It was a start… 

"What's his name?" She asked, looking around and looking for her chance. 

"papyrus." 

"Papyrus?" 

He only nodded, not saying anything else. 

"Wh-what's he like?" She asked. 

"he's the coolest," he told her, and she swore she could see his teeth tilt up in a fond smile. 

"Older or younger?" 

"younger," he said, smile falling a little. 

"Tell me about him?" She asked hopefully. 

"like what?" He asked, a little rudely. "what would you be interested in about a monster?"

"A-anything- everything," she assured him. 

He gave a huff of disbelief, but spoke. "he's the best little bro a guy could have. doesn't let me just lay around, keeps me going, even on the bad days. he's always tryna take care of me, even though he's the younger one. he's got big ambitions, and he achieves them. he's an amazing cook. nicest guy around." 

"He sounds amazing," (Y/n) told him softly, honestly moved by the way he described his brother. 

Sans sneered. He knew she was trying to somehow use his love for his brother against him. 

Disgusting humans. 

They'd use anything and anyone to get what they wanted. 

The cabin came into view, and Sans' face fell back into the schemey grin it usually was. 

The human tried to start falling back, so he slowed his already loose pace to something closer to a meander. 

He wasn't going to let her get away. 

"right here," he told her, opening the door for her and gesturing for her to enter first. 

She didn't move, her nervousness showing through. 

There was a noise from the depths of the cabin and Sans grinned. 

"sounds like my bro's home. c'mon in… join us for dinner," he goaded. 

She still didn't move, and he could see her actually holding herself from running off. 

stupid human… you should listen to those instincts, he thought to her, they’re tryna save your life. 

Her eyes were moving up and down the gravel road, searching for help she'd never get. 

If the trees weren't so thick, she would have been able to see the uninhabitable, empty cabin on the corner, and further past that, around the bend in the road, the light of the cabin belonging to that annoying, bratty version of himself, and his nosey slave of a brother. 

"heh. you expecting a trip wire or something?" He kept her in a close, direct path in case she bolted, as he stepped through the door first to show her it was safe. 

The door, that is. 

"SANS, IS THAT YOU?" A loud voice called from further past the door. Probably from the room the light was on in through this darkened one. 

"yeah, paps, s'me," he called back with his deep, gravelly, edged voice. "brought someone for dinner, too." 

(Y/n) felt unease grow in her again, her eyes going to the one red eye light of her guide, since it seemed to be the only one focused on her. 

"BROTHER!" The voice complained. "DID ONE OF THE OTHERS DECIDE TO COME OVER?" _-others_ , there are others, she noted- "YOU KNOW WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO- OH… H-HELLO, HUMAN…" 

(Y/n) looked to the speaker, then tilted her head up. And up. And up. 

Sans felt a disgusted, but self satisfied sneer shape his skull as he silently reached behind the door, his fingers brushing against the handle of his trusty axe. 

No one could seem to look at his sweet brother in the face. It _was_ worse for wear- he'd lived through literal hell, and it showed how strong he'd been to make it through. 

Any second she would scream in horror. Cry out in terror. 

At his amazing, sweet, cool brother. 

Who didn't deserve anyone's fear or hatred for the way he looked. 

Hate boiled in his soul. 

He'd judge her for her actions and punish her. 

Let her feel the sins of hurting his sweet brother with her unfounded fear crawling all over her. 

Any second she'd scream.

Any second, he'd tighten his hand around his axe. 

Any second, he'd have dinner for his brother to cook. 

"S-SANS?" 

His brother was an amazing cook. 

There was a nervous, uncertain tremor in his brother's voice.

Just as soon as she screamed, dinner would be getting started. 

His brother didn't deserve people's ignorant fear. 

As soon as she screamed- his hand was ready, his fingers twitching against the handle of his axe.

His brother didn't deserve anyone's ignorant hatred. 

She'd at least do some good in this world by feeding them. 

She squealed, her eyes focused up on Papyrus' face. 

Now!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Uh-oh... how's the reader going to get out of this one?


	3. It was a dark, stormy night...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dinner is served.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I'm going with the idea that Papyrus has three modes of talking; NORMAL TALKING, WHICH IS ALL CAPS, Quiet Talking, Which Is Him "Whispering" But Is Normal People Volume, Very quiet talking. Which is a normal person's whisper. I also realized that I forgot to add the tall reader tag! Sorry, it's added now, though!  
> Hello again all! I'm so excited I got by the response for just the first two chapters! So excited that I've been writing a lot on this story this week! Also, I know that there is/ would be some concern about why the HT bros don't have food, and there is a reason, but it's not discovered for a while. It's a good reason, though! I-I think, anyway...  
> Please feel free to kudos, or just read, I squeal at comments. And if anything in my works ever inspire you, I'd love to see it! 💗💗  
> Also, a lot of these first few chapters of the story are in Axe's pov, I'm noticing.

(Y/n) looked up at the skeleton in front of her. 

He was tall. Taller than her, by a lot, even though his shoulders were hunched. His eye sockets seemed small for his skull, a repeating, layered spiderweb of cracks cenerting at his nasal ridge. 

He looked nervously between her and his brother. 

His nervousness and hand twisting made sense when it looked like someone had beat the hell out of his face, let it heal, and repeated enough times that his face had permanently changed shape. 

Anger filled her heart. 

_No one_ deserved that. 

His immediate nervousness at a new person showed that the fights he'd gotten into had most likely been forced upon him, and a quick glance over his radius and ulna showing his worst, healed defensive 'scars' showed that he hadn't been a willing participant. 

(Y/n) shot an evaluating glare at Sans from the corner of her eye. 

No. 

He was too genuinely proud and loving of his brother when he'd been talking about him a moment ago. 

He was also sporting a gaping head wound, directing that someone had probably been beating them both. 

That meant someone else. 

Her eyes moved over the darkened room behind the tall skeleton, looking for signs of another presence as her jaw tightened. 

Her eyes were drawn back to -Sans had said his brother’s name was Papyrus, right?- as his hands rubbed over each other and the sound of fabric rubbing over fabric brought her back to the people in front of her. 

His long, uneven teeth, stained from something unknown, shifted in a not at all comfortable seeming way. "S-SANS?" He questioned. 

The nervousness on him made her heart ache. 

What was making him- 

Oh- oops… 

Her mama bear was showing. Career fie-

 _Previous_ career field hazard. 

Being an advocate for people who couldn't do it for themselves made you protective. Overprotective sometimes.

(Y/n) closed her eyes for a second, taking a breath and pushing everything mama bear to the back of her mind, opening them and letting the current moment fill her senses. 

One thing at a time. 

Her eyes trailed back up to his where he squinted at her from his hunched position. 

A joyful feeling bubbled up in her, and she couldn't hold back the excited squeal. 

"Tall!" Her hands clasped in front of her so they didn't go to him. "You're so _tall_!" 

She was exclaiming it like he'd done something amazing. 

The two skeletons froze. 

She didn't sound afraid…? 

No one was moving, no attacks, and while her outburst had been genuine, it was keeping her alive, and them off kilter. 

Maybe… Maybe she could use this to her advantage. Go full excitement mode and overwhelm them, then quickly leave. 

She'd seen it work before at work, and she'd look stupid, but she'd be _alive_. 

"Oh my gosh, I'm sorry, obviously you're tall! I didn't mean to state the obvious! Just- _I'm_ so tall, I don't usually meet anyone taller than me, let alone so _much_ taller than me!" She rushed, overfilling their senses. "I'm- a dork, I'm sorry, but I'm just so excited to see someone taller than me! Oh my god- can I have a hug?!"

The tall, skittish skeleton looked at her wiggling grabby fingers before opening his arms and staring at his brother in shock as she wrapped her arms around his lowest ribs. 

"I'M… GLAD IT SEEMS… YOU'VE MADE A… NEW FRIEND, SANS," Papyrus said hesitantly, "BUT WE DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO FEED YOU, HUMAN…" 

"wasn't gonna-" Sans started mumbling, but was cut off by the stupid human's too excited voice. 

"That's ok, I've got some- I'll share!" 

Sans' axe fell back against the wall with a 'thunk', forgotten in the overwhelming situation. 

He couldn't think. 

His brain had stopped and was restarting, slow and decrepit like the laughably outdated computers they'd had underground, still running on seventeen inch floppy discs. 

"My name is (Y/n) by the way!" 

His brother was looking at him, he knew he was. 

"TH-THAT'S VERY THOUGHTFUL OF YOU, HUMAN- S-SANS, ARE YOU OK?" 

Why was his brother always so _loud_? 

The anger made him want to snap at him. 

"S-Sans…?" 

That was better. 

"S-Sans, Your Eye…" 

Sans looked up to his brother, realizing that his hand was tugging at his nearly dead socket. 

His eye lights darted around, needing to find the human- dinner. He wouldn't let her slip through his fingers and let his brother go hungry. 

She was standing at Paps' side, watching him with concern on her face. 

Concern for him. 

Fuck.

Damn it!

Why did she have to be concerned about him?! 

He _knew_ she knew he was planning on making her dinner, killing her, cooking her and feeding her to his brother. 

What right did _she_ have to be concerned about _him_?! 

Sans pushed the anger filling him back with another tug at his socket before letting it go, giving her a hateful glare. 

"and what is it you want for it?" He demanded. 

"F-for what?" She asked. 

"for the food." She wanted something. You never got something for nothing. 

"N- no-othing…?" She glanced between him and his brother in confusion. "J-just sharing a meal among new friends…?" 

Nothing, his nonexistent ass. Just a meal among friends, his scrambled, unstable brain. 

She was paying them off for her life. 

Fuck her. 

"heh." 

No, don't fuck her. She was food, and you don't fuck food. 

His expression turned darker, his hand reaching behind him for his axe. 

Her eyes flared in fear. 

She stank of fear. 

Prey smelled like fear. 

She was prey. 

"SANS," Papyrus called to him nervously as he edged himself between him and his prey. "Sans, We Don't Do That A-Anymore… We Don't Have To… W-We Can Go Ask The Others-" 

"no," Sans cut off his brother's placating. 

Papyrus knew how stubborn his brother was about asking for help. "W-Well, I-I didn't fully check- I could look in my traps to the west-" 

He was whispering, trying to keep the situation calm without frightening the human. 

A frightened human telling about skeletons threatening and trying to eat them would bring a lot of unwanted attention to the area. 

_If_ they got away to tell. 

It really was the best solution. 

"Then I'll feed my new friend, P-Papyrus!" She declared. "I-if Sans doesn't want any of the food, that's his own fault…" 

Papyrus looked back at her, torn. 

"C-c'mon, Papyrus, let's go get the food, it's in my camper," she told him, starting to tug him toward the door. 

Papyrus stared back at Sans as he followed the human out. Once they were outside in the now near blackness, the human felt around in her pockets and pulled out a flashlight, guiding Papyrus back toward her camper. 

Sans shambled after them, keeping his eye on her. 

He could hear his brother introduce himself properly, and them talking, starting to sound like old friends. 

It made him sick. 

He wasn't going to let her trick his brother. She wasn't going to hurt him. He wouldn't let her. 

She dug around in a cooler, pulling things out and handing them to Papyrus until his arms were full. Then she carried a small bag with her as they made their way back, Sans again taking up the rear. 

A flash of lightning lit the sky momentarily, and he saw Papyrus jump. 

Papyrus didn't like storms; the thunder sounded like bad things from when they were underground. 

They made it back to the cabin, the rain starting to drizzle down as they walked inside. 

Sans sat at the table, hyper alert in watching the human, refusing to fail his brother, but not really paying attention to their conversation or details as the two cooked. 

He snapped back to reality suddenly as a large pot was set in front of him on the table. 

He glared at the human as she brought over another pot, setting it next to Papyrus' in the middle of the table. 

There was a bit of a scuffle as Papyrus tried to serve her first, and she tried to serve him first, ending in laughing and them serving each other at the same time from different pots. 

Sans glared at her as she tried to serve him next, and pointedly refused, still staring at her, when Paps tried, making a worried look grow on his brother's face. 

He didn't want to get caught in her snare. He'd save his brother when it came down to it, taking on his debt, but he wouldn't be able to do that if he was also indebted. 

Conversation flowed mostly easily as the meal went by, Sans still watching and only participating when Papyrus spoke to him. 

Sans watched her, noticing how much more food she’d put on Papyrus’ plate- a ploy to indebt him further, certainly- and how whenever Papyrus was looking at her, she was just about to take a bite, or had just taken one, though she didn’t eat in the stretches between, busying her mouth with talking, instead. When Papyrus finished his plate, she immediately grabbed a pot and started filling it again, and Sans wondered if she’d caught the longing look in his brother’s eye; he was a large skeleton, and it took a lot to keep him going. 

Though it seemed like there had been quite a bit of things she’d brought, there didn’t seem to be an excessive amount of food. After Paps’ second, half, helping, the pots were empty, denoting that there had been just enough for the three of them. 

Sans was used to waiting for Papyrus to finish eating, anyway, always making sure his brother was taken care of, first, so it wasn’t that tough for him, even if he was hungry. 

He could tell that Paps was worried, though. 

The human still had food on her plate, and she tried to give it to Sans, but he straight up growled at her, sounding like an animal about to rip her throat out. 

She took her plate away from his, her eyes studying the table for a moment before looking back up to him with a small smile. 

“The payment will be that you eat my cooking,” she offered. 

“pass,” Sans growled. 

She looked away again, then up to Papyrus. “Do you have any plastic wrap?” 

“YES, IT’S OVER HERE, LET ME SHOW YOU.” 

His brother stood and showed her where they kept it, and Sans watched her adjust her plate so that every last scrap fit on the plate and wrap it before putting it in the fridge. 

Sans glared at the fridge. 

She couldn’t trick him that easily. 

Sans’ eyelights trailed after her every move as she helped Papyrus clean up their cooking mess and dishes. 

Finally, the last dish put away in the cupboard, the human turned to Papyrus and smiled again. 

“Suppose I should head back for bed. Do you mind if I use your bathroom, first?” 

“OF COURSE, HUMAN (Y/N)!” Papyrus showed her where the room was, Sans following them to the living room. 

“BROTHER, WHY ARE YOU BEING SO RUDE?” 

Sans let his eyelight flit up to his brother’s face before going back to the bathroom door. “just being careful, pap… you know how dangerous humans are.” 

The two skeletons walked (Y/n) to the door, well, Papyrus walked her, Sans just sort of _loomed_ behind them. 

Papyrus opened the door and flinched as a bolt of lightning lit the sky, followed closely by a boom of thunder. “L-LOOKS LIKE THAT STORM IS IN FULL SWING,” he commented, trying to stay upbeat, though he was obviously nervous. 

“Y-yeah…” (Y/n) muttered nervously. It was a good fifteen, twenty minute walk back to her camper. She would be drenched the second she stepped out into the downpour falling at the moment, and she had no heat to warm her back up. 

“A-ARE YOU SURE YOU SHOULD GO? W-WILL IT BE SAFE TO GO THROUGH ALL THAT RAIN?” Papyrus worried. 

A smile lifted (Y/n)’s lips, and she tried to sound confident. “Oh, s-sure… It’s… just water, after all,” she faded out doubtfully. 

“I THINK I’D FEEL BETTER KNOWING YOU GOT THERE SAFELY,” Papyrus insisted. 

A low chuckling started behind them, growing into a near maniacal laugh. 

“so then,” Sans drawled darkly, his voice seeming to get creepier with every word, “how ‘bout a sleepover…” 

The only thing that could have made it more horror movie cliche would be if a bolt of lightning had lit the sky right then. 

And then one did, followed closely by a boom of thunder that made Papyrus jump. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Do you know how hard it was to not make a Jeffrey Dahmer joke?! So very difficult... 
> 
> Hey, I'm also writing [another story about Red](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097) that's just him and reader, if you're interested.  
> I also have a [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/) where I've put a couple of drabbles, and if you have any questions, or whatever... visit i-if you w-want!


	4. Papyrus' friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A startling way to wake up, Axe is terrifying, and Crooks is too sweet for the world!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soft Crooks... very soft Crooks... he's too damn cute... help me... no... help... dying from sweetness... *tears* I swear I don't have a heart... just... need to cuddle Crooks...

(Y/n) had started off the night somehow managing to be a big spoon to Papyrus, who started and made a distressed noise at every flash of light and clap of thunder, but she must have rolled over at some time in the middle of the night, because she didn't feel skeleton under her arm. 

She hummed as her hips shifted around, stiff from the night on the floor. She wished she could have taken the couch, but she'd been too afraid to be too far from Papyrus, feeling that as long as she was near him, he'd help her stop his brother from killing her. 

Being alone around Sans = death.

Yeah, she had a reasonable amount of confidence that she could save herself, but you always used every tool in your arsonal, and Papyrus’ company was definitely a valuable resource to have in this situation. Him being such a sweetheart made her want to be around him, anyway. Count it as a double win for her. 

Besides, it was always a good idea to save your strength for the real fight, if there would be one, since letting yourself get worn out with the little things just made it easier for the bigger encounters to kill you. 

(Y/n) yawned, then started to stretch as she opened her eyes, only to see one large, red eyelight right in front of her face. 

"AAAH- Jesus- fuck- shit-!" (Y/n) screamed as she scrambled to get away, accidentally ramming her head into Papyrus in her terror filled escape attempt. 

"Oh god- shit, I'm sorry, Papyrus," she told him, holding his skull in her hands, softly rubbing over it to soothe him, though her eyes hadn't left Sans as he sat up, still staring at her with his manic grin. 

That's right; Sans had refused to leave her alone with his brother, so they ended up all sleeping on the living room floor. 

He’d been on the other side of Papyrus from her, though… 

"ARE YOU ALRIGHT, HUMAN, WHAT HAPPENED…?" Papyrus asked as he roused from sleep, his hand meeting hers as he stopped them, then rubbed at his shoulder where she'd actually hit. 

"Hh- just…” Well… nothing really had happened. Sans was just creeping her out. “I was startled," she answered. 

Papyrus looked over at Sans, who just shrugged. "musta saw a mouse or somethin', paps." 

Papyrus looked down at her doubtingly, but she just shrugged uncomfortably and looked away. 

"That Aside, Would You Like To Join Us For Breakfast, Human (Y/n)?" Papyrus asked. 

"Uh, no, I don't want to eat all your food Papyrus," she told him, shaking her head. 

"NONSENSE, HUMAN, You're The One That Gave It To Us-" 

Sans' eyelight moved over her. She'd brought _more_ food? 

“-It Only Makes Sense That You Get To Enjoy It, Too.” 

(Y/n) glanced nervously at Sans, hesitating before speaking. “I- g-gave that food to you because it was going to go bad before I could eat it- i-it’s really not a problem…” 

“paps, why don’t ya go get breakfast started, i’ll clean up in here,” Sans suggested, his voice still lax, though seeming a bit extra gravelly.

“W-Well Alright, Sans. It’s Nice To See You Showing Initiative!” Papyrus said happily as he climbed from the floor and made his way into the kitchen as he dusted off his pajamas, making the blue snowflake pattern flutter with the motion. 

(Y/n) immediately moved to follow him, but was stopped as Sans’s hand shot out, catching and stopping her from passing.

“why don’t you _give me a hand_ , human,” he suggested darkly. 

A nervous noise left her, and he turned to make sure his brother was out of sight in the kitchen, busy enough that he wouldn’t come back for a moment, before he grabbed the collar of (Y/n)’s shirt and turned, pushing her roughly against the wall, his eyelight so close his nasal ridge was nearly pressed against her nose. 

“now listen to me, human, and listen closely. i don’t care what you think you’re going to get away with, but my bro ain’t gonna owe you anything. ya hear me?” 

(Y/n)’s head trembled as she nodded quickly while trying not to knock heads with him. 

“now what do you want?” 

“N-nothing,” (Y/n) insisted. “I-I like Papyrus, and I can’t stand for people to go hungry, especially if I can do something about it…” 

Sans glared at her for a moment, seeming to gather his next argument. “you can take your food and go to hell. we don’t need your help. we didn’t ask for your help.” 

“N… n-no…”

“what the hell did you say?” Sans growled, pressing close enough against her that (Y/n) felt certain that he could feel her heart pounding in her chest, though it was harder for her to gather breath as his bony arm pressed into her sternum. His grip on her shirt got tighter, starting to choke her, and his skull was mere hairs’ breadth away from her forehead. 

(Y/n) could feel her knees going weak, wanting to give out under her, and her hands went to hold on to something- anything that would keep her up, ending up on the wall, trying to somehow push to keep her up from behind. 

“I-I’m n-not taking the f-food back…” She told him through her stutter. “I don’t c-care what you s-say…” 

Sans growled, then used her body to push himself away, glaring at her chest. 

(Y/n) felt a strange sensation, like a ghost had waved their hand through her body, sending a cold shiver through her. At the same time, it felt like Sans was looking at her innermost private parts and secrets. 

She’d never felt so exposed before, even when standing fully nude in front of her at the time boyfriend when she’d been about to lose her virginity. 

His glare deepened, and his manic grin fell into a frown and deepened as well. “‘course you are… damned … souls… always sticking their noses… get ya killed in the underground…” Sans grumbled as he let her go and turned away, one hand rubbing over his dimmer lit eye socket. He paused and looked back at her, growling, “don’t think this means i trust you.” 

“'K- 'kay…” (Y/n) managed before she slid down the wall into a pile on the floor as Sans went into the kitchen. 

After taking a moment to have a minor panic attack, (Y/n) ran her hands over her head, then down her face, taking a deep breath. 

Damn it. 

She knew that if Sans wasn’t so terrifying, she’d be able to use her training to subdue him, but he was so- terrifying! 

Any time he came toward her and she wasn't ready, her body froze up and refused to move, her mind blank other than the need to get away in some primal instinct. 

(Y/n) pulled herself from the floor, shaking her head and patting her cheeks to pull herself out of those thoughts. 

She hadn’t been in a situation where she’d had to use her techniques for a while, so maybe she was just rusty with getting into the headspace to use them… 

She’d work on that. 

She made quick work of folding the blankets and stacking the pillows that had been their sleeping area, putting the pile on the couch and going into the kitchen, staying near Papyrus’ side as he cooked some more of the food she’d brought. 

This time, Sans ate, quickly shoving food in his mouth and staring at her the whole time, warning in his eyelight. 

.

When breakfast and the dishes were done, Papyrus offered to walk her back to her campsite again, and she gladly accepted, still somehow knowing that Sans wouldn’t kill her if Papyrus was there. 

As they walked back, (Y/n) stopped at a lot of places on the side of the road and in the field, gathering pieces of plants, placing them in the bag that she’d had Papyrus bring, stopping every so often to stare and compare them to her phone and gather. 

“I- I Don’t Mean To Seem Rude, Human (Y/N), But What Are You Doing?” Papyrus asked after he had a nearly half filled bag and they were almost to her campsite. 

She could feel Sans glaring at her from behind, still refusing to leave her alone with his brother. 

“Y-you mentioned that you have traps, right?” She asked and he nodded, looking a little bright around his cheekbones as he looked away. 

“F-FOR GAME! RABBITS AND DEER…” He sounded so nervous. 

(Y/n) gave a reassuring smile and gestured to the small white flowers she was collecting. “So you’re a hunter, but you don’t know much about gathering. These are all edible.” 

Papyrus looked at her, flabbergasted. “WHAT?! IT’S POSSIBLE TO EAT FLOWERS?! I Thought They Could Only Be Made Into Tea...” 

(Y/n) chuckled. “Yeah. In fact, they put flowers on salads and stuff all the time; rose petal ice cream, petunias and others on salads… Dandelions are edible and made into salads, usually, too, and they’re considered weeds because they grow _everywhere_ without being planted.” 

“I DIDN’T KNOW THIS!” Papyrus seemed excited about this knowledge, and it made Sans’ soul lift a little to see his brother so happy. 

Sans walked up behind (Y/n) and stared at her phone over her shoulder silently. 

She jumped when she noticed, but handed the phone to him so he could investigate himself, hopefully a bit farther away from her, and see that she wasn’t trying to pull anything. 

“Maybe we can go looking for wild strawberries later- um… if neither of you have work…?” She offered. Sometimes she forgot that other people had normal jobs that required them to do normal job things. 

Papyrus looked at her, surprising her by pulling her to his chest, her feet leaving the ground as he held her close, and from the choked up sound in his voice, she could tell he was close to crying. “THAT WOULD BE WONDERFUL, HUMAN (Y/N)... WE… DON’T HAVE TO, BUT…” Papyrus set her back down and looked off to the side hesitantly. “Don’t You Have To Work…?” 

(Y/n) looked up at him, squeezing his humerus comfortingly before looking away in embarrassment. “A-actually… I don’t have a job…” 

“YOU DON’T?” 

She shook her head to him. "Just… recently lost it, actually…" She murmured in answer. 

“Then… How Do You Afford Somewhere To Live?” Papyrus asked in confusion. 

(Y/n) chuckled nervously. “Ah, well… um… I don’t… -at the moment,” she rushed to finish.

“OH NO, MY NEW FRIEND, (Y/N)! NOT ONLY HAVE YOU LOST YOUR JOB, BUT YOU’RE HOMELESS, AS WELL?!” Papyrus looked truly distressed about the idea. 

“Oh, n-no, Papyrus!” (Y/n) quickly told him. “Not exactly, anyway! I have the camper, and I’m parked here, so I’m just camping, technically…” 

“how were ya going ta pay the site fee,” Sans asked suspiciously. 

“I- I’ve got a bit saved up; I was already saving up to rent a cheaper place, but it wasn’t enough to pay my rent, so I took it and did the vacate part of pay or vacate,” she answered. 

Sans studied her, but he couldn’t find any lies on her. 

He grumbled something under his breath and rubbed his palm over his skull, phalanges catching on his brow ridge and eye socket. 

"It's fine, Papyrus," (Y/n) assured him again. "Humans go camping all the time- it's actually about time for the season to start, so I'm sure you'll see a lot of them." Papyrus looked a little bit comforted at that, so she turned to direct her next words to Sans. "I- can pay the lot fee when we get to the camper… Oh! I never did check in…"

Sans grumbled, looking off to the side. "ya don't have ta pay anything. s'not an active campground anyway." 

"Ooh…" That made her feel a bit uneasy, and it took her a moment to figure out that it was because that meant no one else would be coming up here. "I… didn't realize it was private property- I- I can go-" 

"NO," Papyrus nearly cried out, though it was strangled in his attempt to keep it back after it was too late. 

"you said you'd take paps looking for strawberries," Sans said, his sockets shifting into more of a glare.

"DON'T LET MY BROTHER'S BAD MANNERS SCARE YOU OFF, HE- DOESN'T MEAN THESE THINGS," Papyrus sounded a bit desperate, like he was about to lose his only friend. 

"I- we can, we're going to go find strawberries, if there are any," she told Sans, then turned back to Papyrus, going to give him a hug. She felt him wrap his arms around her and hug her back. "I didn't mean I'd never see you again. I just didn't want to be some squatter hanging out on your property uninvited." She tried to pull back, but he didn't let go. Looks like the hug was continuing, then… 

"THEN I'LL INVITE YOU." He finally let space between them, hunching a bit more to meet her eyes with his. "MY NEW HUMAN FRIEND, (Y/N), PLEASE FEEL FREE TO STAY HERE! AS LONG AS YOU WANT!" 

"Aww, of course, Papyrus! Who could say no to that sweet face?" She told him, going to pinch his cheek, only to remember that he was a skeleton, and you can't exactly pinch bone. She brushed her thumb across his cheekbone with a smile, instead.

Papyrus' skull flushed and he didn't seem able to make anything beyond flustered noises. 

There was a slight growl from Sans, and (Y/n) looked back at him in question. What the hell had she said to set him off, now? 

"N-No One Ever Says That Kind Of Thing About Me- they're usually too afraid of the way I look…" His voice trailed off painfully, and (Y/n) took his skull in her hands, tilting it this way and that, giving it a thorough look. "What Are You Doing, Human (Y/n)...?" He asked nervously. 

"I dunno what to tell ya, Papyrus… You have a skull, like anyone else. Sure, your teeth are stained -same could be said for someone who's smoked for years- and they look like they could do with some work, maybe braces, and you squint like you need glasses, but other than being really, really tall, you look pretty much just like anyone else. Other than being a skeleton. I've seen some people with some pretty bad teeth, myself, so…" She shrugged, letting him go with a smile. 

Tears gathered in the edges of his sockets, his jaw trembling a little. 

"D-don't cry, Papyrus," she said with a glance over at Sans, worried he'd attack her because she'd made his brother cry. "I- I'm sorry! I wasn't trying to be mean, I-"

Papyrus wrapped her up in his arms and squeezed. 

"I'm Not Sad, My Friend (Y/n)- These Are Happy Tears… No One Has Ever Said Anything Like That To Me Before. Even Before- Before I Looked Like This; People Were Still Nervous Around Me When They Met Me…" 

(Y/n) wrapped her arms around him the best she could and squeezed him back. 

When they parted, she glanced at Sans again, seeing him look pretty relaxed, though his smile was still sharp, and his eye socket seemed ultra focused and intense. Almost like he was trying to look right through her. 

It was… slightly less creepy…? 

Less murdery, at least… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Heya, betcha didn't know I have a [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/), huh?  
> Also betcha didn't know I'm writing [another story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097), that I also posted a chapter of!  
> lol  
> Also, I realized that I'm writing chapter 12 (at the moment) and I still haven't expressly said what her job was where she got this training... Anyone have a guess or a burning desire to know? If not I'll just say it when it comes out instead of working it in.


	5. Sans gets lost...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to learn the name of Sans' axe! Sans gets 'lost' and tries to keep from panicking with humor... Reader saves him. There's a bit of blood, the brothers react in different ways...

Papyrus washed the plants and flowers (Y/n) had helped him collect, mixing them together into a salad. 

"It's Too Bad We Didn't Find Any Strawberries Today. They Would Have Been Good In The Salad… Don't You Think, Sans?" 

Sans answered with a vague noise. 

"I'm Glad That We're Going To Look Again Tomorrow." 

Sans picked at the corner of his socket. "just be careful… don't wanna accidentally cross into that bitchy little tyrant's 'grounds' and get into a fight." 

"SANS!" Papyrus scolded, but Sans just chuckled. 

Papyrus sighed and looked at the ceiling in aggravation, but looked over at Sans when he chuckled again. 

It had been a long time since his brother had laughed so much, and the permanent scowl on his face seemed to be lessening. 

Papyrus smiled fondly over him. Sans would undoubtedly still have his bad days, and there was nothing Papyrus could do about that, or the way his memory failed at times or the way his once whip sharp mind had slowed to nearly below average speeds of processing. But he was laughing again. Enjoying life. He hadn’t done that since shortly after the human had left the underground.

Sans’ rusty laughter suddenly barked into the kitchen, startling his brother from his thoughts. 

"WH- What's So Funny Brother?" He asked. 

"when i found her… i decided that she was going ta feed you… turns out she did… just didn't have ta use bethany ta do it…” His phalange twisted to point towards where his axe was kept when not in use as his dark laughter filled the room. 

Papyrus rolled his eyes at his brother’s dark humor and went back to preparing their dinner. 

.

Papyrus walked with Sans through the gray morning light, admiring the way the forest seemed to glow, nearly the way it did underground. 

“Now Sans, I Don’t Want You Hurting The Human,” he told his brother. “It’s Been A Long Time Since We’ve Been Able To Make Any Friends, And… The Alternate Versions Of Ourselves Are Nice -well some of them are nice- But It’s Nice To Have Someone Else That Isn’t You Or Me To Talk To.” 

“don’t worry, pap. i’m not _planning_ anything,” Sans assured. 

“PLEASE KEEP IT THAT WAY,” Papyrus requested. 

They arrived at the truck parked in the abandoned and overgrown campsite, seeing the area that (Y/n) had cleared out to use in her daily tasks. 

Papyrus raised his hand and gently knocked on the door, waiting a moment before it opened, revealing (Y/n) huddled in a blanket. 

“Oh, hey… didn’t expect you so early, let me just get dressed,” (Y/n) told them, turning around and closing the door behind her. 

They waited, and she quickly reappeared, pulling a coat on. 

“Alright, we looked over there, last time, so this way? Did you bring the bag?” She asked, holding her own bag. Papyrus held up his to show her with a self conscious smile and she grinned. “Awesome!” She opened her mouth and looked at Sans like she was going to say something, but then seemed to think better of it and closed her mouth turning and starting off with Papyrus a bit nervously. 

Sans followed after the two, looking around, glaring at the few birds in the trees. 

He used to be able to catch them… when he was quicker… 

His attention turned to a clump of mushrooms and he wandered over to them, eyeing them for a moment before picking them. 

When Sans straightened, he looked for his brother, but didn’t see him. The human wasn’t anywhere in sight, either. 

Sans felt his soul tighten and throb, panic wrapping itself around his ribs. 

He was alone.

In a part of the forest he didn't know.

He hadn’t paid enough attention to where they were going. 

stop, he ordered himself. i’ll just turn the way i came from and walk back…

Which way had he come from…?

Oh stars- _what if he forgot what he was doing?_

What if he ended up wandering around lost in the woods until Paps came and found him? 

Paps would find him. 

He’d always find him. 

“don’t panic,” he muttered under his breath, forcing out a flat laugh a moment after at the _Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy_ reference. 

Why could he remember that and not what the fuck he was doing or where he was going?! 

Sans’ hand went to his nearly dead socket, fingers curling and scratching at it. 

Lost. 

Lost… 

_Lost…_

A sound echoed in his head- footsteps. 

Someone was coming for him. 

_Lost…_

He had to stay safe- 

_Crunch. Crunch. Crunch._

-He had to keep Paps safe- 

_Crunch. Crunch. Snap._

Sans reached into his hidden pocket as he drew his meat cleaver. 

His eyes darted around, searching for the source of the sound. 

“Sans,” (Y/n) called as she stood a ways away. “We’re over here.” 

She stayed at a distance, keeping herself safe, calling to him, letting him know where his brother was. 

smart girl, he thought. 

Sans stuck his cleaver back into its hiding spot and looked down, finding the mushrooms he’d found. 

He picked them up and started toward her. “found some mushrooms.” 

She offered a smile and waited for him so he didn’t lose sight of her before starting back to Papyrus. “We’ll have to check and see if we can tell if they’re poisonous.” 

Soon Papyrus was in sight, and Sans made his way to him, holding out the mushrooms. 

“Nice Find, Sans.” Papyrus beamed his uncomfortable, crooked toothed grin before ducking his face down to hide his mouth. He put them in his bag carefully. 

Sans followed the pair as they made their way through the woods in a big circle and back to their cabin. 

It was relaxing watching the two interact, relieving to be able to hear Papyrus talking happily without having to hang on to every word in the conversation. 

As they got to the road, Sans easily made it across the runoff ditch, used to it being there, and Papyrus’ long legs made quick, easy work of it, but (Y/n)’s foot hit the gravel and slid down with a shower of rocks. 

Papyrus caught her, keeping her from falling down completely, but it was still enough to land on her knees and skid down a ways. 

“ARE YOU ALRIGHT, HUMAN?” Papyrus asked in concern as she climbed up. 

“Oww,” she hissed, bending to look at her knees. They looked fine, protected by her pants, so she moved on to her hands. The hand that Papyrus had caught her by was fine, but the other one was a bit skinned, a tiny rock or two clinging to her skin. 

She brushed off her palm, making sure to get all the pieces of rock out, before spitting on it and tucking her other hand inside her sleeve to clean it up a bit. 

She missed the way Papyrus looked away, a little nervously. 

“Yeah, I’m fine, Papyrus. Just a scrape,” she told him as she licked over the cleaned, injured, part of her palm before pressing her hands together with a clean spot on her sleeve between them. 

Sans was staring at her, eye socket wide. Had she just licked her own blood? 

“It only looks like a _bloody_ tragedy,” she finished. 

Laughter bubbled out of Sans’ chest after a moment, breaking the silence. 

(Y/n)’s lips turned up in a small smile. 

“W-WAS THAT A PUN, HUMAN (Y/N)?” Papyrus asked. She smiled up at him in answer, and he was going to say something- but the sound of his brother laughing, really laughing, not just that small chuckle, stopped him. “L-Let’s Get Back To The House,” he finally settled on. 

“Yeah, we need to see if those mushrooms Sans found are edible,” (Y/n) agreed through her dying laughter, pulling out her phone only to find it dead. 

Oh yeah… electronics needed power in their batteries to work… 

“Um… Would it be ok if I charged my phone at your house? Hard to look for jobs with no access to the internet,” she explained. 

“OF COURSE, HUMAN (Y/N). I Have A Charger That Should Work With Your Phone.” 

“Awesome, Papyrus, thanks!” She smiled to him. “And, y’know, you can just call me (Y/n), you don’t have to call me ‘human (Y/n)’ every time.” 

“O- Of Course, (Y/n),” Papyrus accepted, sounding a little flustered, his cheeks showing a slight glow. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm writing [another story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097), that I also posted a chapter of!  
> lol  
> Heya, betcha didn't know I have a [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/), huh?  
> 


	6. Sans finds a leaf

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sans finds a leaf- or does the leaf find him- or... whatever. Papyrus notices something wrong with his friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Felt like putting two of this story out this week. There's still the one of the other story out, too.

Sans walked alongside Papyrus, his grin still sharp, as was normal these days, but much more relaxed than it had been in a long time. 

Had it really only been a few days since they'd met the human? He still refused to call her by her name, lest they have to resort to her being their emergency food supply, but he was starting to feel like he might feel a little bad about it if it happened. 

He stopped next to Papyrus, a bit farther back than the door as he let his eyelight wander around the site. She had a plastic, lidded box outside, over near the fire pit, and something about that made his smile twitch with displeasure. 

His eyelight continued over the set of sandals outside the door on the bumper, the extension cord she'd strung up and hung some things to dry on… 

They still looked wet… Freshly washed… But it was hardly even sunrise… A little bit of ice crystals on them, due to the cold… 

His eyelight kept drawing back to the box by the fire pit, wondering what it was about it that he didn't like. 

Was it something from the Underground? Had he dealt with a box like that and had a problem? Was it dangerous? 

Something echoing in him said yes… 

The door opened and he looked up to see the human again bundled in a blanket. 

Papyrus handled the conversation -he was good at that- and Sans let his eyelight continue to wander, now behind her into the camper. 

What did she have in there? 

It seemed full of stuff. 

He wondered if there were anything interesting that he might be interested in taking after he'd made her into dinner for his brother. 

"Sans," Papyrus asked softly. 

"yeah, bro?" Sans asked, his eyelight going to him and focusing. 

"Is it normal for humans' breath to be visible?" 

"huh?" Sans asked, his head tilting in confusion. 

"Is it a normal thing to see a human's breath in the air?" 

Sans looked away, tilted his head to the other side… 

A frown grew across his teeth as he tried to remember everything he could about humans. 

"no, don't think so, pap… think it… only happens when it's cold out…" He finally settled on. It made sense… Seemed right… 

His eyelight moved back to the door of the camper as it opened and the human stepped out. 

His eye sockets narrowed. 

It wasn't normal for their lips to discolor that way, either. 

This stupid human was going to let herself freeze to death. 

His emergency ration… it would go bad… He'd have to find some way to store- 

Sans' glare shot to the box and deepened. 

She'd left her _food_ outside. In plain sight! Where anyone could come along, see it, and take it! 

So stupid! 

His glare turned back to her, then to the ground, muttering to himself about souls and stupidity, his hand moving up to finger his socket. 

This moron was asking to die… 

Quite the change from when she'd been fighting to outwit him to live… 

He’d at least make it quicker than freezing or starving… 

"Hi, Sans," she greeted him, trying to sound like he didn’t make her nervous. 

"hey," he greeted back quietly before going back to his grumbling. 

How strange was it that he was the one that made a human nervous instead of his brother for once? 

Sans looked up to the human, watching her talk to his brother. 

Papyrus looked so happy to have a friend… it was almost like the old days, before running out of food; his brother talking happily to someone as they walked down the road, his friend talking back happily… Laughter shared between the two… 

It was an extremely comforting sound. 

His frown relaxed back into his slightly manic grin as he followed them. He’d have to keep this moron alive, if not for his brother, then for better shelf stability as an emergency ration. 

Sans let out a huff of laughter. 

Him, protecting a human… 

He’d thought that he’d never be in that position again. 

. 

“Are You Sure You’re Ok, Hu- (Y/n)?” Papyrus asked as he watched her blow into her cupped hands. 

“Yeah, Papyrus, I’m fine!” She assured. “I was just washing laundry, and the water that comes out of the spigots is freezing. It didn’t help that I did it so early, either, but… I wanted the clothes to be dry for tomorrow, and I knew I’d be with you guys most of the day,” she told him, and he felt his soul flutter. “Not looking forward to the ‘bath’ I’m going to have to take tomorrow, which reminds-” 

“HU- (Y/N), YOU COULD DO LAUNDRY AT OUR HOUSE!” Papyrus declared. “AND HAVE YOUR BATH!”

“U- uh, Papyrus, that’s not how it works…” 

“Yes, You’d Have Plenty Of Hot Water There, (Y/n)!” Papyrus tried to assure her. “You Could Have A Nice Long Bath!” 

(Y/n) caught a look at Sans from behind Papyrus and when he noticed her able to see him, he made eye contact and quietly muttered, “steeww…” laughing after at her reaction. 

She shot a glare at him, knowing he was messing with her. “Soup stock is better made from bones.” 

He only laughed harder before catching his breath enough to tell her, “but meat is best for stew.” 

(Y/n) turned back to Papyrus instead of playing into Sans’ hands any more. “Papyrus, if I take a bath tonight, I’ll be all wet, in the coldest part of the day, and I could get sick, or freeze.” 

Papyrus looked troubled by this thought. “I Forgot That Humans Are So Fragile… Please Forgive Me, (Y/n)...” 

“None needed, Papyrus,” she told him with a grin. 

“You’re a good friend, (Y/n),” he whispered. 

“So are you, Papyrus,” she told him, her smile growing. 

Sans watched the interaction silently, thinking through their words. 

“BUT YOU SHOULD COME DO YOUR LAUNDRY AT OUR HOUSE,” Papyrus insisted. “IT WOULD GO BY SO MUCH FASTER, AND YOU COULD WASH MORE THAN TWO OUTFITS AT A TIME.” 

(Y/n) chuckled. “That would make it go a lot faster, for sure.” 

“Then It’s Settled. We’ll Pick Up Your Laundry On The Way Back To The House And You’ll Do Laundry While We Hang Out! Nyeh Heh Heh.” 

She looked like she was going to refuse for a moment, and Sans felt his magic tingle in his bones. But then she smiled up at him. 

“Ok, Papyrus. As long as Sans doesn’t mind,” she answered, looking over to Sans. 

“doesn’t matter ta me,” he told her with a shrug, his gravelly voice neutral.

They made their way around, Papyrus checking his traps, (Y/n) finding what she could in the way of edible plants, Sans watching the pair and keeping an eye out for a threat. 

He didn’t know what kind of threat he was looking for, but he knew that he’d know it when it came. 

He was a bit zoned out as they walked, his eyelight sweeping for danger, when something happened, sending a feeling through him- a bad, uncomfortable feeling… 

Sans let out an awkward noise as he nearly flailed around, trying to get whatever was making him feel this way off of him. 

Fuck- it felt like ants were crawling in his bones!

It needed to stop! It needed to stop! It needed to stop it needed to stop- _it needed to s t o p-_

(Y/n) caught one of his scrabbling hands and called his name louder, getting him to look up at her from the ground. 

“It’s ok, Sans, just hold still…”

Hold still? 

He couldn’t fucking _hold still-_ there was something inside him! Inside his head! 

_It felt s o w r o n g…_

“Sans, hold still.” Her hand was on him, tilting his jaw to make his head turn to the side. 

He wanted to growl at her, wanted to tell her to stop touching him and get the hell away- but he couldn’t get over the feeling of ants marching through his bones. 

She reached to his head-

She was going to hurt him!

Her hand touched his skull. 

She was going to kill him! 

Sans’s eye widened 

She’d kill Papyrus next! 

Sans grabbed her wrist, holding it as he pulled back, his other hand going to where his cleaver was hidden. 

She was holding… a leaf? 

“Must be left over from autumn,” she offered. “Couldn’t have been comfortable, though.” 

Sans’ eye went to the leaf in her hand, staring at it for a moment, then glanced at where his hand was touching the handle of his cleaver. 

He let go of her hand and tugged his hood up over the hole in his head, grumbling under his breath as he headed back toward the cabin. 

. 

Sans watched the human sit on the couch next to his brother. 

“This Is One Of His Better Shows,” he told her, trying to explain the premise of one of his favorite Mettaton shows. 

She seemed interested, trying to understand, watching the tv as Papyrus filled her in on the details behind the jokes. 

“Are You Going To Stand There In The Doorway All Night, Brother, Or Are You Going To Join Us In Enjoying Some Of Mettaton’s Classics?” Papyrus asked, dragging him from his zoned out stare. 

Sans blinked, looking over Papyrus, then the human on the couch. There wasn’t much space for him. Maybe he’d- 

(Y/n) patted the spot besides her, looking like she was trying. 

“heh. nah, i’ll take the chair,” he told her, going to his recliner and collapsing back. 

A timer dinged from the kitchen and Papyrus shot up from the couch. 

“It’s Done!” He excitedly clapped his hands together, and hurried into the kitchen. 

Sans watched the human grin and stand, following him. He stood and went to the doorway, again leaning on it as he watched the two interact. 

“Don’t You Think It Looks Good, (Y/n)?” Papyrus asked as he cut the brownie in the pan into pieces. 

“It sure does,” she answered, picking a piece of edge and inspecting it. “Taste it,” she told him, holding out the chunk of chocolate. 

Papyrus tried to take it in his hand, despite still wearing oven mitts, but she held it higher. 

“Say ahh,” she instructed. 

Sans watched his brother lean down, putting his skull in range for her, and take the food from her hand, trying to be careful not to bite her. 

He felt his eyelight waver and expand as he watched the two. Watching her literally feeding his brother… sent a jolt of something through him… almost like the leaf earlier, but… pleasant… 

A feeling of responsibility weighed on his shoulders. 

He was going to have to keep her stupid ass safe, or there would be no more of this. Papyrus’ first friend in years, gone. 

He wanted his brother to be happy. 

He wanted them to be a happy family again… 

. 

(Y/n) set the last piece of freshly folded clothing onto the stacks of clean laundry in her basket. 

“This really was fun, Papyrus,” she told him. 

“YES, WE SHOULD DO IT AGAIN THE NEXT TIME YOU HAVE LAUNDRY,” he agreed, excited. 

“For sure,” she agreed back with a grin. 

Sans tore his eyelight away from the window, looking over her and back to it. 

He needed to keep her safe from the others. Especially their neighbor, ‘Blackberry’. His brother wasn’t any better, either; if he found out about her, he may take her himself, just so that they wouldn’t have her… 

“should walk you back,” he told her as she got to the door. 

She looked at him in question, but Papyrus smiled. “That’s A Great Idea, Brother!” 

(Y/n) shrugged and went through the door that his brother opened for her. 

Sans kept his eyelight out for any of the other’s patrols, the glowing circle flicking around his socket at near paranoid speeds. 

When she was safely back in her camper, he made sure to check the area, going to the cooler by the fire pit and opening it, intent on taking her food somewhere more safe. 

_no starving._

But when he opened it, he saw it was full of water. 

She’d done laundry earlier. She probably didn’t have a laundry tub.

Sans let out a hum of laughter and turned back to Papyrus, letting the cooler fall shut. “c’mon, paps, let’s get back. nearly bedtime.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, they're starting to talk about the others! The others are going to show up soon, too, promise!


	7. Knock knock. Who's come to kill me?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Crooks opens up a little about what life in the underground was like. Axe assures her he doesn't like his snacks dying on him before he's ready.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just want to note that MC isn't throwing shade or saying that HT!Frisk should be hanged for their actions, she just doesn't understand them, and as a green soul cannot fathom leaving and not helping, and is thinking accordingly.

Sans looked out the window again, focusing his eyelight on the leaves on the trees. 

Was there frost? 

Was it too cold for a human outside? 

Frost point was thirty-two degrees fahrenheit, zero celsius… 

That was also the freezing point… 

The freezing point when water crystallized into ice… 

Humans were about seventy-five percent water… 

Sans’ fingers tugged at his eye socket. 

“You Can’t Sleep Either, Brother?” 

Sans shook his head in reply. 

“I’m worried about her… I forget how fragile humans are… They can die if they get too cold…” Papyrus’ voice was a worried whisper near him, above his skull as he looked out the window as well. “W-would… do you think…” 

Sans abruptly turned and walked away from the window, pulling his hood up over his skull as he neared the door. 

“Where Are You Going, Sans?” Papyrus asked. 

“fixing it…” was the muttered reply he got. 

. 

(Y/n) huddled in her pile of blankets, hating that even just shifting displaced the heat she'd built up and made it seem colder, cold enough that it was hard to get any proper sleep. 

There was a tapping at the door, but she dismissed it as some ambient noise. 

The tapping came again, a little louder. 

She looked at her phone. 

2 am. 

Probably squirrels… 

Yeah, because squirrels ran around at night… 

Wait, did they? 

_Knock knock knock._

Noooooooooooope! 

Not answering the door for the murder at 2 am! Not when she was out in the middle of nowhere! With no one close by! And a skeleton that had basically told her he was making her into dinner on their first meeting! 

_Knock. Knock. Knock._

(Y/n) started to shiver, huddling deeper into her blankets for a reason that had nothing to do with being cold. 

The door popped open and a deep, blood red light moved into the camper. 

“you’re supposed to say, ‘who’s there’,” his deep voice scolded. 

(Y/n) suppressed a whimper, hoping that he didn’t hear it. 

“i know you’re awake.” The glowing orb moved closer to her slowly, seeming to have no need to blink. Somehow that made it scarier… 

“Wh-who’s there…?” She tried to ask with confidence, but it didn’t come out much louder than a whisper. 

“too late, now. get up. we’ll get your stuff tomorrow.” 

It wasn’t a question, and he obviously expected her to do it, without hesitation. 

“c’mon. even i’m not that lazy,” he told her. 

(Y/n) squeezed her favorite stuffed animal tighter as she felt her blood freeze in her veins and her lungs stop working, though her heart was hammering overtime. 

Especially when he got closer, looming over her. 

He stopped right above her, leaning down and scooping her up. 

(Y/n) let out a strangled squeak as she was hefted up into his arms, blanket cocoon and all. 

She couldn’t see well, and she wasn’t sure whether that was a blessing or a curse, as she really didn’t feel like she could handle watching her death coming toward her, but the anticipation was also killing her, and she couldn’t move to pull the blanket away from her face, since Sans had her arms trapped. 

Finally, she was dropped on something soft, and the blankets loosened around her. 

(Y/n) fought her way out of the cocoon, frantically looking around to see the darkened room of Sans and Papyrus’ cabin, the couch under her, and Sans shuffling away toward the stairs. 

Papyrus closed in on her, a guilty smile twisting his jaw. 

They really needed to get that fixed; it did _not_ look comfortable. 

He pushed his skull close to her face to see her clearly. “Get some sleep, (Y/n),” he told her, as if it were completely normal for his brother to kidnap someone from their home and dump them on the couch… 

Actually… she didn’t want to think if it was normal… 

“Goodnight, my friend,” he told her with a pat to her head before he turned and went to the stairs as well. 

(Y/n) looked around in the dark for a moment, trying to figure out how to feel about this, but in the end, she was too tired to figure it out, so she decided to just go to sleep. 

. 

(Y/n) woke up to Papyrus humming in the kitchen as he worked on making the things they'd scavenged the day before into breakfast. 

She climbed out of her blankets and off of the couch, folding the blankets and straightening them up into a neater pile. 

"Good Morning, (Y/n)," Papyrus greeted happily as she entered the kitchen. 

"Hey, Papyrus," she greeted back. She walked over to him, watching for a moment to see if there was anything she could do to help. 

"Um… hey, Papyrus…?" 

"Yes, (Y/n)?" He asked, sounding maybe the most content she'd ever heard him. 

"C- can I ask you a question…?" She asked nervously. 

"OF COURSE, (Y/N), Neh Heh Heh," he chuckled happily. 

(Y/n) took a deep breath and steeled her nerves to ask. "S-so… What's up with Sans coming and carrying me away from my camper to your couch in the middle of the night?" 

Papyrus' cheekbones started to glow lightly. "W-Well, We Were… We Were Worried About You… It Was So Cold… And As You Reminded Me Yesterday… Humans Are… Fragile…" 

(Y/n)'s eyes widened. "R-really?" 

"Of Course. You Don't Think I Would Worry About You? You're My Friend!" Papyrus told her. 

"I- heh… It's hard to think that Sans would be worried about me… Except maybe that I'd get freezer burn," she murmured with a soft huff of laughter. 

Papyrus stopped what he was doing and looked down at her. His small, faded eyelights shifted away and he took an unsteady breath. 

(Y/n) wondered for a moment if she'd offended him with her dark joke. 

"He really doesn't… He really… He didn't use to be so harsh," he nearly whispered to her. "When the human Frisk fell into the Underground-" he gave her a wary glance. "...There Was A Human Who Fell, And- and then, after… hmm." Papyrus had to stop and think carefully about what he was going to say so he didn't give away the fact that he and Sans were ripped from another timeline, while still not wanting to lie to his friend. "After the human made it through the Underground they left." 

(Y/n)'s brows met and her jaw clenched. 

They _left_? 

How do you do that? 

She knew from all the reports that came out that Frisk had broken the barrier. 

It _was_ possible. 

How did you just _leave_ instead of saving an entire people?! 

That was an extremely troubling thought to her. 

Papyrus took a breath and continued, "well, they actually… Killed the leader of where we were…" He paused at (Y/n)'s gasp. "It- They wanted to leave, and it became a fight for survival… I suppose… I suppose they felt it was their only chance… But. They left." He looked down at her hand where it was squeezing his hand in comfort. He gave her an uneasy smile, then looked away again. 

"It wasn't too bad at first- My Greatest Friend Became The Leader!" He actually sounded excited. "But… After that… It went downhill… Fights broke out, problems started arising with our food source. Food shortages spread across our home… There was no alternative… The stress made my friend… desperate…" 

(Y/n) felt a sense of dread and horror fill her. The infamous Donner Party sprang to mind. 

"She was… pushed to the edge… unable to be calmed… unable to see reason… she…" 

The way his fingers unconsciously moved to his face, brushing the spiderwebbed cracks over his nasal ridge… 

His… 

His _best friend_ did this to him?! Her hand tightened around his hand as protective anger rose in her chest. 

"It was… Terrible… The worst… ...hell…" 

Sans stood out of sight outside the doorway, his back to the wall. Flashes of memories moved through his mind as his brother spoke, some making horrific sense, some with no context… all terrible. 

How was she taking the horror they'd lived through?

"Th- the other places down there couldn't share food, or increase production, or…" (Y/n) trailed off as Papyrus shook his head. 

"There was nothing to share…" 

The Donner Party flashed in her mind again. "Ooh, Papyrus…" She hugged him. 

This sweet, sweet cinnamon bun! 

His determination to look at everything from the brighter side, to see the situation from all sides, take in every point of view and not just hate humans for what the one human had caused, the way he was still _so_ sweet despite everything that had happened… 

Tears grew in (Y/n)'s eyes as she squeezed him. 

"I- I Didn't Tell You This For Pity Or Anything-" 

"I know, Papyrus," she assured quietly. 

"I just wanted you to understand… My brother… He's always felt like he had to protect me... everyone… He's always taken the weight of the world on his shoulders. He tries to pretend that he's not hurt by the betrayal… But he still feels it, even if he has trouble remembering it." 

Betrayal…? …had Papyrus' friend been the one to hurt Sans, too? 

Papyrus pulled (Y/n) away and crouched to meet her eyes. "Despite how he acts, he _does_ care. Never doubt that." He hugged her close before whispering by her ear, "and don't tell him I told you that… he likes to keep up his dangerous image." 

(Y/n) laughed into his shoulder at that. 

"heh. i'm also always careful of the _expiration_ of my snacks, little lamb." 

(Y/n) and Papyrus looked over to see Sans standing just inside the doorway, leaning back against the wall, looking almost… Relaxed…? 

That didn't seem like the right word, but it seemed like the closest. 

"so. you're sleepin' here tonight so i don't have ta go back out ta that camper and drag ya back… right?" He asked, his grin twitching up. 

"Uh- uh, I… I-if I'm invited…? I guess…?" She stuttered. 

Papyrus pulled her back into a hug. "OF COURSE, (Y/N)! YOU'RE WELCOME HERE WHENEVER YOU WANT TO VISIT!" 

Sans just gave her a wider grin, not seeming quite as manic as usual. 

… … … 

Sans took another sip of his drink, giving another glance around the bar, hoping for a nice time, but knowing that he’d never get it with the way he was huddled over, showing a very closed off posture, not to mention the mouthful of sharp teeth. 

Not that he couldn’t get _any_ ; he could be a real ladies man, when he wanted to be, it was mostly his posture, which almost screamed ‘go away’. 

He was too tired, anyway. That was his life at the moment. 

Go here, fix that… create a new thing that’s never existed before to fix this problem… 

Really, a man could only take so much. 

Letting out a sigh, he threw back the rest of his drink and set the glass down, tossing a couple of bills on the counter before getting up and heading out. 

“See ya, Red,” one of the dogs called after him, and he lifted his hand in acknowledgement. 

Exiting through the door, he grinned as he got to his motorcycle. 

His beloved Harley. 

Sure, he could use a shortcut to get home, but what was the point of living on the surface if he couldn’t drive fast across the open spaces under the _real_ stars? 

Red, as the dog guard had reminded him his name was up here, climbed onto his bike, brushing his hand over it lovingly as he turned the key. 

This had been his one concession to giving money toward buying the old campground he and the other displaced skeletons lived at. 

_“‘s long ‘s i get my fuckin’ harley, don’t care what i have ta put in.”_

The others had gotten rides as well; it only made sense when they lived so far from town, especially when only about half of them could use the shortcuts. 

He knew one of the Papyruses had gotten some sort of suv or jeep or something, and the smaller, annoying blue version of him had gotten a bike, too, though his was more like a Motocross dirt bike or something, while his own brother had gotten a sleek black convertible with red interior. 

He let out an appreciative hum as the wind blew over him, whipping past his skull and making his fur lined hood flutter wildly behind him. 

As he got to the turn off to the small road that led toward their place, Red slowed down, watching for the cow grates and other obstacles. When he finally reached the dirt road that went up to their home, a smirk flashing at the sign announcing it as “Skeleton Mountain”, though it was just a really nice tag done with sharpies. His smaller note in thick black ink telling others to stay out under penalty of “skeletal removal” was still tacked on, hanging at a strange angle. 

Red chuckled, slowing even more as he made his way up the long gravel road. He didn’t want to spin out and hurt his precious bike, after all. 

Heh. Maybe he’d go purposely do a rock spray at the little tyrant asshole’s house. 

He knew that he’d come out and try to get into a fight with him, but, he was honestly filled with aggressive energy, even though he was so _bone_ tired. 

It was just the upcoming heat, he knew, though he didn’t know why it was coming so soon; his heat usually waited until it was a bit warmer, after the frosts stopped coming. 

Whatever the reason, he knew Blackberry was good for a fight if he needed it. But he had to work in the morning. 

A groan left him, his eyelights moving over the area. 

It was nearly completely dark, lit only by the stars, moon, and his headlight. 

As he got closer to the main area with most of the cabins, he saw a light on in the first visible one. 

The horror bros' cabin. 

It was the farthest from the others, which suited them, and him, just fine, and was also a place that he didn’t visit if he could help it. 

Something about the two from that timeline just… creeped him out. 

Crooks was nice enough, pretty much just a scarier version of this timeline’s Papyrus, but Axe… 

Axe was an asshole with a head injury, volatile and likely to go off at any moment, picking fights just because he could. Because he knew that the others were put off by him and his high level of LOVE. 

The fact that he and his brother had eaten dusted monsters and humans alike in their timeline didn’t exactly inspire warm fuzzy feelings, either. 

Red pulled to a stop without realizing he was doing it, his eyelights trained on the window that was letting the soft glow out into the dark night. 

Was Axe up? 

If he was, he was always good for a quick tumble, mostly posturing followed by a mostly verbal workout that would make it easier for Red to sleep when he got back to his own cabin. 

Red climbed from his bike after kicking the stand into place, silently creeping up to the big window, a devious grin stretching across his sharp teeth as he readied himself to pop up and pound on the window to get Axe’s attention. 

Red’s fist stopped on its way to the glass, his expression falling into one of shock. 

The window gave the view of the tv across the room that was playing some late night infomercials, the mostly bare room, and against the wall Red was standing on the other side of, under the window, a couch. 

A couch holding a sleeping woman… 

A _human_ woman… 

Red’s eyelights darted up and around, checking that everything was still peaceful, and that he wasn’t about to get pulled into a surprise encounter by a pissed off, crazy version of himself, then back through the window to the sleeping woman. 

He wasn’t sure if it was the impending heat talking or not, but she looked so beautiful under the soft glow of the tv, curled in a pile of blankets, holding a stuffed animal to her. 

Briefly, a fantasy of him swooping in to save her, driving off into the… night… with her clinging to him, so grateful and eager to _thank him_ , played in his mind, and he entertained it for a moment, though he ultimately pushed it away. 

Bursting in, in the middle of the night, _alone_ , was not the best idea… 

He’d had some pretty dumb ideas in his life, but even he could tell from a mile away that that one was a pile of shit he didn’t need to step in. 

He’d have to talk to Classic about this. 

Red loved his brother, as much as he could, but, while he’d have the power and force needed to help him, his brother tended to rush a little, even if it was done with the best intentions the situation could allow, this seemed like a mission that needed a bit more finesse. 

Red walked back to his bike, casting glances over his shoulder, and kicked the stand, walking it a distance away before hopping on and starting it, not wanting to alert Axe or Crooks that he’d been stopped in front of their cabin. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, hey, our first Sans that isn't Axe! Hi Red. ... How's that oncoming heat feeling? *evil chuckles*
> 
> I'm also writing [another story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097), that I will also post a chapter of within the weekend! If you want to see more Red.  
> Nap time, now, though lol.  
> Heya, betcha didn't know I have a [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/), huh?  
> 


	8. There're more skeletons?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Red and Classic go on a rescue mission, while (Y/n) is understandably concerned about strange skeletons showing up and trying to take her away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, just sayin'... If anyone wanted to, I don't know... draw something inspired by either of my stories... it would be timely, since it's my birthday today... It's cool if not! I'm just sayin'... _IF_...

Blue stuffed another box of pasta into the grocery bag in front of him, glad to give Crooks a variety. 

He was so glad that he’d been able to help them build up their pantry before the guard had sent him and this timeline’s Papyrus to the capital for a conference, hanging out with the human police force and trying to come to agreements on how to better integrate monsters and humans in areas that were having trouble. 

It had been days, but the part with the conferences felt like weeks, and the fun they’d been able to have with the “team building” activities of relaxing in the hotel’s pool, having dinners in nice places together, and going drinking, though he’d been carded, and scrutinized for looking younger than he was, felt like hours. 

Blue would be glad to go and spend some time talking about puzzles, going over new ideas and improvements to old ones. 

It felt nice to help the skeletons from that cabin out, since Crooks was too self conscious to go into town and Axe hated being around crowds and sometimes forgot where he was or what he was doing, and he looked up to the way Crooks still had that spark of light in him that shone so brightly in this timeline’s Papyrus, even after the horror show they’d lived in. 

It showed an amazing strength of character, and he admired that. 

Stretch, his timeline’s version of Papyrus slinked into the kitchen, watching him separate the groceries he’d gotten earlier. 

“YOU COMING WITH ME TO DELIVER THE FOOD, PAPPY?” Blue asked, looking over the boxes he’d packed. 

“yep,” his brother answered, his soft, and somehow smooth, though scratchy voice a contrast to his own high volume, though smooth and rich tones. 

Blue gestured to a box, setting the bag on top of it before stacking the other two boxes and carrying them to Stretch’s vehicle. 

.

(Y/n) set her pieces, hoping she’d found the best line to put her train on, trying to get the hang of the game Papyrus was teaching her. 

Sans sat at the table, supposedly the distributor, giving out destinations and colored tickets, but looking like he was asleep with his sockets almost completely closed and his jaw resting on his chest. Somehow, he was still able to keep up with the game. 

“I _think_ I’m getting the hang of it,” she told Papyrus as she watched him take his turn. 

“You Are Doing Much Better,” he encouraged. 

Sans suddenly sat up straight, setting the deck of cards down on the table and standing, walking to the door and closing it behind him as he stepped out. 

(Y/n) lifted a brow, looking to Papyrus. “Any idea what that was about?” 

Papyrus shook his head, an uneasy look on his face. 

He climbed from his own chair and walked to the window peeking outside. “Um… (Y/n), Please Stay Inside While I Talk To Him,” he told her, slipping out through the door. 

Sans glared at the two versions of himself as they neared, standing and menacingly waiting for them. 

“What Are You Doing, Sans?” Papyrus asked quietly. 

“they’re going to try to take her away,” he growled. She was his brother’s human, and he wasn’t about to let them just waltz in and take the first person that treated him like a normal person. “they can do it over my dusted corpse.” 

Papyrus shot a nervous look at Classic and Red as they approached. “Sans, we don’t need to fight…” 

“pretty sure they’re not going to see it that way…” 

Papyrus stepped from his spot next to his brother and walked to greet the two other Sanses. “H-Hello! To What Do We Owe Your Visit Today?”

The two stopped and looked up at the intimidatingly tall skeleton. 

“hey, paps,” Classic greeted. “heard you have a house guest-”

“we came ta check on th’ human ya got in yer cabin. ‘f axe didn’t give ‘er th' axe a’ready,” Red cut in, making Classic shoot him a glare at his lack of tact. 

“we’re just checking on her, since there’s always a concern about humans findin’ us out,” Classic rephrased. 

“what th’ fuck ever,” Red grumbled under his breath. 

Sans walked up to the group, giving his best manic grin. “what if i already ate her, too…” 

“SANS!” Papyrus exclaimed, scandalized. 

“axe,” Classic started, but Sans cut him off. 

“that’s not my name. you _know_ what my name is. it’s the same name she screamed telling me ta stop, begging me not ta cut her ta little pieces.” 

“SANS, YOUR JOKES ARE IN POOR TASTE!” Papyrus declared. 

“i thought they were pretty flavorful,” Sans countered and chuckled through his manic grin. 

“Sans, are you telling them you ate my liver with a nice Chianti and fava beans,” (Y/n) asked from the doorway, leaning against the frame. 

Sans glanced back at her, his grin widening in a non manic way. “nah, chianti's too ritzy for my taste, lamb.” 

“Fava beans are too much a pain in the ass to cook, too, you’d hate it. You have to peel them twice,” she told him. 

“heh. yeah, _you’d_ know i’m too lazy for that,” Sans pointedly told the other two, who looked uneasy. 

“hey, kid, we- uh…” Classic started as he moved toward where (Y/n) was, only to be blocked by Sans and his glare. 

“look, lady, we’re just tryna check on ya an’ make sure y’re a’right, a’right?” The more edgy looking of the two told her, his gruff, accented voice somehow pleasing to her ears, though he was being a bit annoying… 

Other than a few differences, mainly red versus white eyelights and sharp versus flat teeth, the two looked really similar, same height even, not _quite_ like twins, but maybe like they could be brothers. 

They also shared an uncanny resemblance to Sans, a combination of white and red eyelights in his skull, and flat, though a bit crooked, teeth, though he was taller than them, and her eyes started glancing around at all of them. 

They were even all dressed pretty similarly... 

“uh- hey!” The more clean cut, laid back looking of the two got her attention, giving an easy grin, though she noticed it didn’t reach to wipe the worry from his eye sockets. “i’m- you can call me classic, and this's red,” he gestured to his companion. 

“they were just leaving,” Sans growled threateningly. 

“th’ hell we were!” Red yelled at him. “i ain’t goin’ 'nywhere 'til i know she ain’t on th’ menu!” 

“oh, she is,” Sans told him, making an obscene motion with his tongue that was the color of old, dried blood. 

“SANS!” Papyrus cried out in shock. “DON’T MAKE SUCH RUDE GESTURES- OR INSINUATIONS ABOUT (Y/N)!” He moved closer to her, hands moving as though he were going to cover her ears to spare her from having to hear such ‘filth’. 

“yeah, ya fuckin’ freak,” Red growled, actually growled, through his pointed teeth lowering his head like a bull getting ready to charge. “don’t be sayin’ shit like that ‘bout ‘er.” 

“how do you know i haven’t already tasted her?” Sans goaded. 

Wow. That was kinda… offensive… (Y/n) thought. 

“uh, hey, guys, can we tone it down a bit-” Classic tried to calm them, but was cut off by Red growling out a no. 

Papyrus was wringing his hands nervously, looking over them and squinting in a way that she knew meant he probably couldn’t see much. 

Someone needed to get this poor boy some glasses. 

A thought to revisit later, though. Some deescalation was needed here, and, fortunately, deescalation was what she used to get paid for. 

“Hey, so, you guys are relations of Sans and Papyrus?” She asked, making her way over to stand by Papyrus, putting a hand on his elbow for comfort and support. 

Classic looked glad for the help, Red looked surprised by the random topic change, and it took a moment, but Sans just laughed. 

“ya have _no idea_ , just how closely related we are, little lamb. one could almost say we were all the _same person_.” His eyelight was focused on Classic, who, along with Papyrus, looked more than a little nervous at his words. 

“Um… ok,” (Y/n) accepted. That was weird, but, even though she hadn’t known Sans long, she’d gotten the sense that he was pretty weird. Living through fucked up situations changed you, that was for sure… But all this was besides the point; her redirection had worked. 

Classic seemed a little relieved that she had brushed it off. 

“hey, so, (y/n), was it?” She nodded. “are ya doin’ ok here?”

Wow… this kinda felt like a wellness check… though she guessed they had said it kind of was one. 

“Y-yeah, I’m ok, now,” she told him. “Rough at the start, but I’m ok, now.”

He watched her step closer to Papyrus, and something a little like guilt seemed to settle behind his eyelights. 

“he tell ya he’d hurt ya if ya didn’t say that? he keepin’ ya here ‘gainst yer will?” Red asked, his red eyelights on Sans’ own red one. 

“that the only way you can get women ta stay with you, _red_?” Sans goaded.

He was not helping _any_ of this situation… 

“ya fuckin’ wish! c’mon, doll, y’re comin’ wit us, let’s get outta here,” Red growled, moving to step toward her.

Sans again blocked any movement towards her, but also gave a nearly feral sounding growl. 

“fight all ya want, freak, she’s comin’ wit us!”

“P-Papyrus,” (Y/n) called uncomfortably as she wrapped her arms around his. 

Classic had apparently gotten fed up with the other two’s fight. “kid, c- can i talk to you- kinda feel like it would be easier if we maybe went somewhere else…”

“I’m not going anywhere without Papyrus,” she told him. She didn’t know what these new skeletons were capable of, but having Papyrus around made her feel more comfortable and secure, even though she’d only known him for about a week. She could at least watch his reactions and gauge how she should respond to a situation. 

“yeah, paps, can come,” Classic agreed easily. 

“y’re really gonna let crooks go wit ya?” Red demanded, sounding exasperated. 

“Who’s ‘Crooks’?” (Y/n) asked at the same time Sans growled dangerously, “ _don’t call him that_.”

Classic rolled his eyes. “you two,” he glanced over at the two arguing, “calm your shit. kid, paps,” he gestured toward the road leading away from the cabin. 

(Y/n) glanced back at the two as they walked away, hoping for the best. 

They walked a ways, until they were out of sight from the cabin, and Classic turned to Papyrus. 

“hey, uh, paps,” he started, sounding apologetic, “i kinda need this to be a private conversation…” 

“OH, Of Course! I’d Probably Better Go Check On Those Two And Make Sure They’re Not Wrecking Our House…” Papyrus agreed, turning to go, but stopping as (Y/n)’s hand was on his arm. The nervous look on her face when he got his face down to hers explained it, and he patted her hand, comforting, “It’s Ok, You Can Trust Him.” 

She nodded in return, knowing that, even if Papyrus’ thoughts about others may be forgiving, he wouldn’t leave too far if he didn’t think she’d be completely safe; he’d hardly gone as far as the next room until Sans had seemed to chill out and relax his desire to attack her.

“so…” Classic started after watching Papyrus leave. “you’re staying with them?” 

“I- I mean, no, I’m camping… but… Sans told me that this isn’t an active campground anymore, and Papyrus invited me to hang out for a bit…” She answered. 

“but, nobody’s makin' ya stay?” He asked. 

“No… Is there a reason you’re worried about this? Other than how things were in their area of the Underground, I mean? Like, I’m not going to be raped or tortured, or something…? And if you guys are around here, why don’t they have any food? Are times that tight up here?” She asked, getting all of her questions out at once as Classic’s skull moved through expressions; surprised, nervous, though it mostly stayed confused. 

“i- um… wait… i- i’m afraid that i can’t answer all of your questions, kid… especially without scaring ya…” He lifted one hand to rub the back of his skull. “the things you’re sayin’ are pretty much the reason we’re worried… not to say that they’ve done any of that stuff since- um, since they got up here… but it still makes us nervous; once ya do something, it makes it easier to do it again, and again… as for the food- i have no idea what that’s about, i know blue brought them a bunch before he and my bro went off to their conference, so they should have plenty- though, i think blue’s probably planning another delivery now that they’re back.”

(Y/n) sized him up, from his fuzzy pink slippers over his socks, to his comfortable and soft looking blue jacket over his white shirt where his hands were stuffed when not making nervous movements. He was an inch or two shorter than her, it looked like, and, though he did look like Sans, his white lit eye sockets seemed kinder, if a bit tired, and his grin was tired, but mostly friendly. He looked like someone who had taken on too many responsibilities. 

She could figure out why Papyrus trusted him; he seemed pretty damn genuine in his concern for her safety, even though this was the first hour they’d met. 

“are they… really out of food?” He seemed really concerned by that. 

“They were, but… I had a bunch with me, and we’ve been foraging and trapping,” she told him, feeling a bit more relaxed. 

“shit,” he muttered to himself as he dragged his hand down his face. “if axe would just ask for help… we coulda given ‘em some food… if he’d just let us know… stars, i'm…" he sighed, "...such a stubborn ass…”

She couldn’t do anything about how things in the past had happened now, there was really not much choice but to let it go and focus on fixing it, and making sure it never happened again, now. 

“well… are you ok, ya feel safe staying with them and all?” Classic asked, still looking concerned. 

“Yeah,” (Y/n) agreed after a moment. 

Classic’s expression slipped a little into a troubled frown, and one hand moved up to pull at the front of his shirt, but he turned and said, “well, alright, then, i guess…” he gave a sigh, “i’ll get ahold of blue, let him know we might have to expedite the food delivery… let’s go back. before those two destroy the forest…” 

(Y/n) followed him as he started off, looking concerned, confused, and nervous. 

They were closer, though out of sight of the cabin, when (Y/n) heard another irritated voice and… argument. 

She sighed. 

Eventful day. 

“I’M TELLING YOU, I DID BRING IT!” The new voice insisted, sounding a bit offended. “I BROUGHT YOU ENOUGH TO LAST THE WHOLE TIME- AND YOU HAD A STOCKED PANTRY WHEN I LEFT!” 

“pretty sure i didn’t imagine running out of food and almost letting my brother starve,” Sans growled out angrily. 

“THEN I DON’T KNOW WHAT YOU DID WITH THE FOOD, AXE, UNLESS YOU JUST SAT AROUND EATING IT NONSTOP THE WHOLE TIME I WAS GONE!” 

(Y/n) and Classic made it past a large bushy tree and rounded the cabin enough that they could see the group now standing there. 

“yeah, axe, ya think we’d give ya any reason ta revert ta old times,” Red demanded rudely. He was bristling, seeming to almost overflow with anger and a desire to fight, flashing his sharp teeth, making a golden eyetooth gleam. 

“I-I DON’T KNOW WHAT HAPPENED, BUT-” Poor Papyrus was having a losing fight trying to calm things down. 

“it’s easy, paps; they decided ta let us starve,” Sans growled. 

“THAT IS NOT TRUE!” The skeleton in front of Sans, Blue, if she read the context of things right, yelled, now offended and angry, his cheekbones flushing a bright blue that almost matched his eyelights in anger. He was an inch or two shorter than Red, wearing a pair of dark jeans, boots, and a very light gray shirt with a bright blue bandana tied around his vertebrae. 

“my bro wouldn’t do that,” another skeleton added in support. 

He was tall, not as tall as Papyrus, but definitely taller than (Y/n) and Sans. His slouched posture and relaxed expression lent to his appearance of a chill attitude, his hands stuffed in the front pocket of his lightly worn orange hoodie. His sneakers were a bit scuffed, but they had obviously started out about the same color as the hoodie, and cargo… it was hard to tell if they were supposed to be shorts that he had gotten too long, or if they were supposed to be pants, but he was so tall they were more like shorts. 

“damn it,” Classic muttered next to her. 

“Sans…” she was too focused on the argument in front of them to see the way he looked up at her, “has a hard time staying out of trouble, doesn’t he?” 

Classic sighed. “yeah,” he muttered. 

“nobody’d do that! even boss an’ me ain’t that bad!” Red yelled. 

“I’M SURE IT WASN’T ON PURPOSE,” Papyrus tried to calm Sans. 

“IT _WASN’T_ AT ALL! IT DIDN’T HAPPEN, CROOKS!” 

“don’t fucking call him that!” Sans demanded, but was ignored as the shorter skeleton continued.

“I GAVE THE FOOD TO AXE!” Blue insisted. “I _KNOW_ I DID!” 

The one in orange reached into his pocket, about to pull something out, then looked down at his brother and reached into another pocket, pulling out a sucker and sticking it between his teeth, hands stuffing themselves back into his hoodie with the wrapper. “he probably has the receipt, still, too.” 

“y’re fuckin’ delusional, axe!” Red yelled at him.

Sans let out a manic laugh and was suddenly holding a meat cleaver, arm cocked and ready to attack. “i’m goin' ta make you as _red_ as they call you,” he threatened. 

“SANS,” Papyrus worriedly interjected. “SANS, STOP…” 

“can’t help it, paps; _i’m delusional_ ,” Sans told him, his voice still deadly calm and dark. 

“oh, shit,” Classic muttered, tensing and getting ready to intervene. 

“Hey!” (Y/n) yelled loud enough that everyone, except Sans, was startled into looking at her. “More family?” 

Sans was still focused on Red. “hey, little lamb. wandered back to _us_ , huh?” The way he emphasized the 'us' made it seam like gloating.

“Yep…” She answered as she meandered toward him, trying to seem calm, when she was really very alert as she made her way next to him, aware of everyone watching her.

“k-kid,” Classic called nervously, his hand clenching uncomfortably at the front of his shirt. 

“Hey, Sans,” she said quietly as she brushed her hand against the arm not cocked back with a cleaver, “ I know you’re pissed, but you’re making Papyrus nervous. He’s getting really anxious.” 

Sans glanced over at his brother, then grumbled, sticking the cleaver back where he’d pulled it from. 

The tension seemed to fade from the group, though Red still seemed to have some unresolved frustration and looked away, digging at his sternum irritably. 

“Pappy,” Blue said quietly, turning his head slightly to his brother, though both of their eyelights stayed on (Y/n). 

“yeah, blue.” He seemed to be agreeing to something unspoken. 

(Y/n) turned, lifting her head to greet them properly and introduce herself, putting a smile on her face. “Hi, I’m (Y/n).” 

She watched Blue’s eyelights shift from blue circles to blue stars. “Pappy, I Want Her…” He murmured to the taller skeleton beside him, sounding like he was pointing out a collector’s item from his wishlist. 

“Uuuuh,” (Y/n) was about to step back when she felt Papyrus’ arm wrap around her shoulders protectively. Sans stepped in front of her with a growl, and Classic stepped to the opposite side from Papyrus. 

Classic cleared his throat. “h-hey, blue, stretch, red, why don’t you guys head back, i’ll stay and figure out what happened-”

“y’re jus’ gonna leave ‘er here wit _them_?!” Red demanded. “she’s not safe here!”

“SHE’LL BE SAFE WITH ME,” Blue declared. 

“BLUE, I THINK THAT WOULD BE A BAD IDEA,” Papyrus told him. 

“i think he’s right, bro,” the skeleton with the orange hoodie, who (Y/n) would have to guess was Stretch by process of elimination, agreed. 

“PAPPY!” Blue scolded, but Stretch just shrugged. 

“i’m not leavin’ wit’out ‘er,” Red declared on a growl, prompting Sans to growl back. 

“red,” Classic called his attention in a voice of warning. “i don’t think that’s a good idea with that thing ya’ve got comin' up…” Red looked like he had been reprimanded. “in fact… i think it mighta gotten a jump start…” He looked over at Blue, inspecting him for a moment. “hey, stretch, i think it might be a good idea if you helped your brother home… and, if ya could, give red a ride, too. we’ll have a… a ‘family meeting’ after it’s all over…” 

Stretch agreed with a nod, then leaned down and lifted his brother, who’d planted himself in his position, by the underarms and carried him to the SUV that had been parked on the road in front of the cabin. 

Blue was very obviously irritated by this, but stayed in the SUV. 

“ya comin’, red, or am i going to have to pick you up, too?” Stretch asked. 

Red grumbled, still sending glares over at Sans as he climbed into the vehicle. 

Classic let out a sigh of relief as they pulled away. 

Papyrus also let out a sigh, deciding that there were too many people standing in that spot. 

He took his arm from around (Y/n) and picked up a box, asking, “(Y/n), Will You Help Me With These Boxes?” 

She nodded and picked up another box. It felt pretty heavy, so it must have a good amount of food in it. She followed Papyrus into the cabin, setting the box on the counter and starting to put away things in it, not wanting the frozen foods to melt any more than they already had. 

“Hey, Papyrus…” Which question did she ask first? “Do you think they really forgot the food?” 

Papyrus took a moment to answer, but it came with a sigh. “I Don’t Know, (Y/n)... Blue Isn’t One To Forget Things Like That… And Sans Isn’t One To Lie, But… He Forgets Things Sometimes… Though… It Is Hard To Overlook The Obvious Proof Of The Pantry Being Empty…” 

They were silent for another moment, the only sound in the kitchen that of them putting away food. 

“S-so… They called you… ‘Crooks’?” 

He flinched at the nickname. It’s not that they were trying to be rude, and they did need a way to distinguish between them all, but… being reminded of his awful appearance every time they wanted to talk to him wasn’t a good feeling. 

“Where did that nickname come from?” She asked. 

“his teeth,” Sans answered angrily as he entered the kitchen. Mad at the nickname, she knew, ever protective of his brother. 

(Y/n) looked up at Papyrus, catching his arm and keeping him facing her, scrutinizing his face. 

He was so embarrassed, he looked away, his cheeks lit that dark, burnt orange. He looked miserable and full of self hatred. 

(Y/n) tugged, urging him to get closer until he was level with her. She turned his face to hers, holding him there. 

“That’s fucked up,” she told him plainly. “Fuck them, you’re amazing.” 

And then she kissed him on the cheek as she wrapped her arms around him, squeezing him tight. 

Papyrus felt his soul throb in happiness. She was the amazing one. They didn’t deserve her… 

Especially after what Sans had tried to do… 

“Are you afraid of the dentist? Or the optometrist?” She asked. 

Papyrus pulled back to look at her. “N-No… Why?” 

She just smiled at him. “Just wondering.” 

“uh, hey… i’m goin' to _head_ out,” Classic announced to get their attention, and Papyrus let her go, straightening back up to his usual hunched position. “nice to meet ya, kid,” he told her, holding his hand out. 

(Y/n) gave him a smile, reaching out to shake his hand, but was surprised when he tugged her closer, pressing her tight against him and burying his nasal ridge in her shoulder. He held her there for a moment, but it was when he took a deep inhale that he fell down the list from the second least creepy skeleton.

When he pulled back, he gave her a big grin, his cheeks flushing a light cyan. “sorry, kid, figured ya were givin’ out hugs… thought i’d partake…” He chuckled. 

(Y/n) gave him a friendly smile, not sure what else to say. 

Papyrus walked Classic out, leaving her alone with Sans, who walked closer to her. 

“What, you want a hug, too?” She asked, playing it off. 

“nah,” he told her, getting really close. 

Really, really close. 

Uncomfortably close for just standing. 

She stepped back, but he followed her, backing her up until she was pressed against the counter. 

“U-um, Sans,” she started uncertainly as he leaned in closer, his hands going to rest on the counter on either side behind her. 

He gave her the non manic grin she was becoming acquainted with, then leaned his head in, pushing his nasal ridge into her neck and nuzzling as he inhaled deeply. 

“mmm,” he hummed as though savoring the smell of a flower. “he’s right… i can smell it…” 

“S- smell what?” She asked nervously. 

“you’re in your heat cycle,” he answered her. 

“Wh- what…?” She asked in shock. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> More Sanses that aren't Axe! Yay! Oh. Hi again Red.  
> Red: ...how's th' oncoming heat feelin'? ya think this's fuckin' _funny_?! 's hot! an' i'm horny as fuck! th' fuck ya think it feels- *instant regret as he sees her sad fox eyes* s-sorry, doll, 's th' heat-! i-it's jus' really got me all... pissy... i didn't mean ta be an ass... *grudgingly wraps an arm around her shoulders to comfort her*  
> *whispers in a quiet, sad voice with big sad eyes still looking up at him* on my birthday...  
> Red: i said i was sorry! *grumbled curse words*  
> *has a happy/ smug face* Maybe you'll get some relief next chapter... if you keep paying in hugs...  
> Red: *super flustered and blushy* gaaahhhh!
> 
> I also updated my [other story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097)! If you want to see more Red.  
> Heya, betcha didn't know I have a [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/), huh?  
> 


	9. Heat...?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some dirty...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted to get this out earlier... but internet issues have been keeping me down... ugh.  
> Also... why did I write a chapter that was just a bunch of the skeles jerking off?  
> I don't know... why are you so excited to read it?  
> We sin together. There is no judgment.

Sans used a shortcut from Axe and Crooks’ door to his own front door, and he was extremely glad as he felt the heat rising up in his bones. 

“paps!” He called as he pulled off his jacket. “paps! shit…” 

He was now groaning as he made his way to the stairs. He was so hot… 

“YES, SANS, WHAT IS IT?” Papyrus asked from the kitchen doorway. 

“thank the stars you’re here, paps… nnn… my heat’s comin’ early,” he explained as he tugged his shirt off, letting it hang from his fingers as he fought to get to his room. 

“OH- DOES- DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH THAT SITUATION YOU WENT TO GO CHECK ON?” Papyrus asked uncertainly. 

“yeah, i’m pretty sure it does. it’s got red started, too, and i think it was pushing blue toward it. i’m gonna do some research after, but… not going to be able to focus for a bit…” 

Papyrus gave Sans an empathetic look. Sometimes it was just easier to be the great Papyrus. 

“I’LL BRING YOU SOME WATER AND A SNACK IN A FEW MINUTES… I’LL LEAVE THEM OUTSIDE YOUR DOOR,” he told his brother, going back into the kitchen. 

“thanks bro, you’re the best,” Sans called as he opened his door and walked in. 

The ever present tornado of trash was hanging out in the corner, various books cluttered his desk, some open to certain parts, some turned upside down to keep his place in them, crumpled up paper that hadn’t made it to the trashnado hanging out on the floor. 

Sans fell to his bed, dropping his jacket and shirt before landing face down. This felt different from a normal heat, not only because it was at least a month early, but he was also not getting into that headspace that he needed to fuck something or he was going to die. He only felt super horny. 

“hmmm…” His scientist’s brain was already at work, trying to analyze this. 

There was a knock at the door, and he called for Papyrus to enter. 

“ARE YOU SURE, BROTHER? ARE YOU… CLOTHED?” 

“yeah, paps, still good, still covered,” he assured, looking over to Papyrus and taking one of the chilled bottles of water he’d brought with him. “it’s not that bad, yet.” 

His brother set down the rest of the things he’d brought by the bed and left Sans to himself. 

Sans rolled over onto his back, uncomfortable with his stiff cock smashed between him and the mattress. 

He let his sockets close and saw (Y/n) in his mind’s eye. Her pretty face, the shape of her body and the way it had felt against him… her _smell_ … 

Oh stars, if he weren’t already primed and ready, her smell definitely would have done it. 

So sweet, ripe- begging him to come breed her… 

Sans cursed and pushed his shorts down his femurs, his hand going to his stiff cock, feeling the magic energy flowing through it as he stroked, keeping his eyes closed as he imagined (Y/n) and what he’d do to her. 

He’d tease her, that was for certain. Spend as long as possible just playing with her soft body until she begged for him to take the last pieces of her clothing off and push her down on the bed, hold her down as he fucked her- 

But he still wouldn’t, yet. No. Now that she’d started begging, he was going to make sure she didn’t stop. 

He’d use his tongue on her, taste every inch of the sweet tasting pussy he knew she had, lap at her clit until she was on the edge and pull back, listen to the sweet sound of her begging. 

He’d repeat until she was crying, tears streaming down her face as she begged him to take her. 

Only then would he let her come, flooding with enough wetness to keep them going for hours. 

Finally, as she was still clenching from her orgasm, he’d shove his cock into her, pounding into her and making her scream with pleasure. 

Sans was gasping as his fist sped up, jerking his cock in earnest, now. 

shit- 

She’d take all of him- 

shit- 

He’d pound her so good she wouldn’t be able to walk the next day- 

shit-! 

He’d give her everything he had- 

shit! 

She’d be screaming his name, coming tight around him as he thrust and- 

shit shit shit! 

Sans let out a low bellow as he came, continuing to stroke himself as his magic ran over his hand, spurting onto his ribcage and pooling on the stomach of his magical body. 

His hand went to the base, giving a squeeze to where his knot would grow, but… it wasn’t there… 

“huh,” he muttered to himself, “interesting… going in the notes. … just as soon as I can move again…” 

… … … 

Blue was still irritated with his brother on the way home. “WE SHOULD GO GET HER, PAPPY. SHE’D BE HAPPIER WITH US,” he complained after they’d dropped Red off and made sure he’d gone into his cabin. 

“you know that’s just the heat talking, bro,” Stretch told him. 

“STARS, IT DOES FEEL LIKE I’M IN HEAT, BUT IT’S NOT EVEN TIME, PAPPY,” Blue answered. “I KNOW YOU KNOW THAT SHE’D BE SAFER WITH US THAN WITH AXE.” 

Stretch just shrugged. “i’m going to call classic when we get back so we can talk about this… it seems pretty strange that you’d be sent into heat so early, but… we’ll figure it out, bro.” 

Blue was silent the rest of the ride, uncomfortable due to the way his pants were so tight around his erect anatomy. 

When they got back, Blue grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and quickly downed it, wiping off the sweat from his skull. “I’M SORRY I’M NOT GOING TO BE ABLE TO MAKE DINNER FOR YOU TONIGHT, PAPPY, BUT I DON’T THINK I’M GOING TO HAVE THE CONCENTRATION,” he apologized as he dug out some granola bars and other snacks for keeping up his stamina.

“no problem, bro,” Stretch told him easily. 

“MAKE SURE YOU EAT SOMETHING OTHER THAN HONEY AND THAT OTHER SUGARY GARBAGE!” Blue preemptively scolded him before going up to his room and locking the door. 

Blue pulled off his boots, then took a room temperature bottle of water from the case he kept next to his work out area, and plopped back on the bed. The cool water from the fridge was good at _feeling_ like it was cooling you down, but room temperature water was better at regulating body temperature since your body didn't have to waste time and energy to change the temperature before processing it. Or so he’d heard. 

As his eyes closed, he ran his tongue over his teeth. Had he heard that that gorgeous creature’s name was (Y/n)? Such a sweet name for such a sweet treat… 

OH LITTLE DOVE, I’D LOVE TO HAVE YOU HERE, SHOW YOU AROUND… PULL YOU INTO MY ROOM TO FINISH THE TOUR… EXPLAIN HOW DANGEROUS THE WORLD IS, ESPECIALLY HOW BAD IT CAN BE IN THAT CABIN YOU’RE IN- FOR A HUMAN. 

I, THE MAGNIFICENT SANS, WILL TAKE YOU AWAY FROM THE DANGER, KEEP YOU SAFE, TEACH YOU- 

Blue cut his own thoughts off as he looked around, as though checking that no one was there, though he knew he was alone. 

I’D TEACH YOU THINGS _YOU_ DIDN’T EVEN KNOW YOU LIKED ABOUT YOUR BODY, PLACES THAT’LL MAKE YOU SCREAM, SPOTS THAT MAKE YOU MOAN… I’LL SHOW YOU THE JOY YOU CAN HAVE BY PERFORMING FOR ME… THE JOY YOU CAN TAKE BY GIVING PLEASURE… 

His jeans were around his femurs, now, so that only his boxes covered him, his body flushing to visibility with his rushing magic. He ran his hands over himself, over where his shirt was covering him. They would be her hands, though. What would they feel like? Would they be soft? 

They would, he knew it. 

THAT’S IT, DOVE, TOUCH ME, FEEL ME ALL OVER, GET TO KNOW THE MAGNIFICENT BODY THAT WILL HAVE YOU CRYING FOR MORE ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT… 

His hands moved over himself to supplement his fantasy, letting his fingers curl to drag the tips over himself, one staying up near his chest to softly trail along his ribs, the other breaking away to slide over his boxers, teasingly rubbing at his stiffness. 

Blue was starting to gasp for breath from teasing himself as he imagined all the things he’d do to that sweet little human by the time he even pulled his cock out of his boxers, panting softly as he ran his fingers over it. 

OOOH, I’D HAVE HER KISS ME, LET HER TASTE ME BEFORE I FILLED HER, he thought to himself. SHE’D SUCK ON MY TONGUE TRYING TO GAIN MY FAVOR… 

“HHHNNN…” 

LITTLE DOVE, IT’S TIME, ENOUGH TEASING, WRAP YOUR HAND AROUND MY COCK PROPERLY… 

“UUUUUGHN…” His groan rattled through him as he wrapped his off hand around his cock and gave it a squeeze. 

“So Eager My Little Dove, UNNNNGH- So Eager To Be Covered In My Cum…” His hand started moving along his length. “It’ll Happen Soon Enough… It’ll Be One Of My Favorite Sights… HAAAAAH! It’ll Be The Perfect Accompaniment To Your Soft Skin- HHHHHH- The Perfect Accessory For Every Outfit- HHHHHHANGH! Yes, Little Dove, That’s It, Oh, Rub Your Fingers Over That Spot Right There- Oh Stars- Oh- STARS-! HHAAAAAHHNNNGGGGHH,” his shuddering cry as he came leaked from him, hovering around the space as his cum splattered over his shirt and boxers. 

Blue panted for a moment before switching hands and squeezing his still hard cock. 

GOOD JOB DOVE- NOW GET ON AND RIDE MY COCK. 

He was still twitching from his first orgasm as he drove his hand over his cock, his other hand twisting in his shirt as his hips thrust up into his palm, picking up a rhythm as he imagined the tunnel his hand made as the sweet little thing she had between her thighs. 

“AAAANGH- Stars- Your Pussy Is Going To Look So Good With My Cum Dripping From It, The Perfect Centerpiece For My Room- On Display Only For Me- Sta- Star- UNGH! Fu _UUNGH-_ ck!” He groaned out as he came again, hard, spilling all over his shirt and dripping down his hand to his boxers. “Oh, That’s _Iiiit_ , Dove, Take It _Aaaall,_ ” he groaned and panted, dragging his hand over his twitching cock. “Ooooooh, Yes… Good Girl…” 

Finally, Blue gave a pleased sigh and looked down at the mess he’d made, dragging one finger through a pool of his magic and sucking it from his finger before letting his head fall back onto the bed. 

“Not Bad For A First Round,” he commented to himself. “She’d Be The One Covered In The Mess, Though.” 

… … … 

Stretch relaxed back in his soft, foam filled chair, his head laid back, sockets closed, his off hand bringing his vape to his mouth for an inhale. 

His shorts were hanging onto his femurs just above his kneecaps, his hoodie pulled up to keep it out of the way as his hand slowly stroked his cock. 

The sweet flavored vape tasted good, one of his favorites, but he could think of something that would taste better. 

Call him crazy, but he loved eating a woman out. There was a reason one of the nicknames for the vagina was 'honey pot'- and honey was his _favorite_ treat. He'd rather lick it than stick it, there. He was more of an ass man in that respect. 

Stretch let his hand slide up and down, squeezing as it went. He knew _just_ how to get himself off, slowly, relaxing and letting the orgasm build on its own and not rushing it. 

He'd have the human relax, too, just let the orgasm build, let it come to her instead of rushing for it. 

His brother had said he'd wanted her, and he could see where he was coming from; she was pretty, her eyes bright and friendly, her presence calming… 

Normally, he wouldn't go after someone his brother was interested in, but he wanted her, too. 

She'd smelled so good… her scent teasing him, letting him know she'd be easy to get ready, quick to get wet for him, a squirt of lube to help as he had her sprawled over his lap with her back against his chest, teasing her backdoor as he readied it. 

Pushing in would be so nice- slick, but tight… 

His hands would grip at her thighs, his body rocking to gently slide in and out. 

Maybe he'd let one hand slide down to rub her clit… slide a finger or two into her pussy… make her so wet and excited that she'd be dripping down, that sweet tasting liquid pooling over his cock as he moved in and out of her ass. 

Stretch could feel his orgasm getting closer and tried to keep his breathing slow and calm. 

Relaxed. 

Letting the pleasure wash over him. 

Playing his fingers over her sweet tasting pussy…

mmm… 

He could lift his honey covered fingers to his mouth, licking the flavor from them -he took another puff from his vape, letting the sweet flavor linger over his tongue as he savored it- tasting her as he moved… 

He'd dip his fingers in and rub over that special spot, revel in the way she squirmed and caused herself to move around him. He'd make her come, feel the wetness and bring it to his tongue to taste it -he took another puff- as she came and spasmed around him -he squeezed his cock- his hand would keep her moving along his cock, and- 

"fuck," he choked out, his hips bucking as he came. 

He let his hand keep pumping, drawing out his orgasm as his magic flowed over his hand. 

Stretch hummed out a satisfied groan and took another puff from his vape. 

"ah, honey… don't know how ya did it, but… you're getting all of us all twisted up over ya already…"

… … … 

Red slammed his bedroom door behind himself as he fumed. 

They were all idiots! 

Morons! 

That sweet, fragile human- they were all going to just let her stay there with the horror show bros! 

Those dumb fuckers! 

Red paced, his hands clenching and unclenching. 

"fuck!" He growled loudly. 

He stormed over to his bed and wrapped his fingers in the sheets, tearing them from the mattress and throwing them in a pile to the side. 

He dragged the mattress to the ground next to the frame. 

He wouldn't even have that frame if his brother hadn't insisted on it. It was tall, there were no tall sides to keep little ones from falling off, and it could be seen as a risk by a mate. 

Red pulled the pile of sheets and blankets back to the mattress, pulling and twisting them as he laid them down just so. 

After he'd set all those, he dug out all of the old, worn blankets he'd scrounged from all over and painstakingly washed every smell and stain from, so they were soft, clean nesting material that only smelled like him. 

His movements were decisive and precise, twisting and pushing, weaving and pulling… making his nest the best he could as he fumed. 

(Y/n)... 

He could feel the kindness radiating from her soul, he knew it wasn't his imagination. 

If he could feel it, the others probably did, too. 

Couldn't they tell they needed to get her out of there?! It was dangerous to have that level of kindness- it was a good way to get dusted where he was from!

She needed to be protected! 

She was fragile! 

She was- 

She was right there, so close… 

Her body had been calling to him, telling him to keep her safe, to prove that it would be safe to mate, that their young would survive the dangers around. 

He'd show her, he would. 

He built things, it’s what he did, he could make her something to make her feel safe, make her see that it would be ok to breed, that he could provide for and protect her… 

Red finished tucking the blanket he was working with, then went to his stash of pillows, putting them in and starting to arrange them for maximum comfort. 

Her scent was so amazing. It made him feel things he hadn't felt in a long time. It made him want to… 

To… try. 

To actually give a fuck about something. 

To work and make the world a better place for some reason other than it beat boredom and he needed money to buy stuff. 

Red placed a particularly soft pillow, but then pulled it back out. 

"bet she's softer than this pillow…" He murmured to himself. 

He laid down and pulled the pillow close, cuddling around it. 

Sweat was collecting around his skull, running down and dripping onto the cloth of the nest. He didn’t mind, though; it just made it smell more like him. It would help her stay calm with not too many mingling smells, knowing that access to their breeding grounds -his room- and nest were restricted. When he got her in there, she’d be so impressed with his skill, comforted and safe… She’d sleep in the nest, cradled against him, covering herself in his scent- he wanted it to be obvious who had staked the claim, who she’d chosen… 

Red felt his aggressiveness rising again and buried his face in the pillow, remembering her luring smell. 

Stars, he wanted to taste her, lick her skin, nip and nibble at her, make her moan and cry out, beg for him to give her relief from the need of her heat… 

Fuck… 

They were synced- 

That had to mean it was meant to be!

Red’s hand moved down, stuffing itself inside his shorts and finding his cock, already weeping precum. 

He knew the first one could be a bit rough, driven by frustration and a need to mark his partner so that everyone else would stay away, but he’d try his best to be gentle for her. 

Red’s hand was stroking him, trying to give some release to the aggression, and the thoughts running through his mind fueled it even faster. 

He’d have her here, in his nest, safe, holding her to him as he fucked into her roughly, his teeth nipping marks into her skin. 

His body curled around the soft pillow in his arms, teeth going to bite it and hold it like he would her, reminding himself to be gentle- as gentle as possible. 

His shorts worked their way down to let his cock free, his hand moving furiously along the length now as he growled and bucked his hips, feeling the pillow rubbing against his magic as his shirt worked its way up to reveal his red body. 

Her soft body would be pressed against him, soothing this aching feeling his cock had of needing to be inside her, knot her, fill her to the brim and cuddle against her as they recovered to do it again. 

She’d be begging for him to fill her, to breed her until she was with child… 

Fuck, _that_ was it… 

He could imagine from others he’d seen carrying, that her belly would expand, building their baby one little bit at a time… 

That was it-!

He’d- he’d rub her belly every night, keep her comfortable and safe, make sure she had everything she needed- 

Fuck, he wanted it… 

She’d walk around, showing off her bond to him- 

A visible mark that she was his. 

The baby would come and- 

Stars- he wanted it _so_ fucking bad! 

They’d get to work making another as soon as possible. 

Fuck- he _needed_ it!

“aaaaaghhhh! fuuuuuck!” He bellowed harshly, squeezing his knot as he snarled again, sending spurts of magic cum all over the pillow he was curled around. 

“oooh, fuck, sweetheart-” he growled, desperately saying the things he wanted to tell her. “i’m gonna fuck ya wit’in an inch a yer life- y’re gonna be so fulla my cum y’re never gonna stop drippin’! y’re gonna smell like me forever- y’re not even gonna be able ta get up, yer leg’s’re gonna be jelly… y’re gonna scream my name over an’ over ‘til ya lose yer voice…” His voice was slowing down, now, his breath coming in pants as he cuddled around the pillow. “‘m gonna… hold ya tight s’ no one can take ya… gonna… keep ya here, safe from danger… wanna… share… life… …(y/n)...” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmmmm.... we're... learning more things about the skeles? Or, maybe just enjoying some smut. Also, at what point do I change the rating? Like, here? When they get to fingering, eating out- having sex- very explicitly boning while in heat...? I'm not quite sure... lol  
> I have [another story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097), if you want to see more Red. It will be updated this weekend as well!  
> Heya, betcha didn't know I have a [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/), huh?  
> And, AND! I got [fanart](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/623576538950041601/sans-sniffing-readz-and-being-a-creep-in-general)!!! Ok... maybe I begged last chapter... lol


	10. Oh, there's still drive (wink wink)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axe gives some explanation, they exchange information about human biology, and... the first piece of clothing goes missing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Axe is smart, because he's still Sans, though he can have trouble remembering new information (stuff he learned after the head wound). And a day in the life, basically.  
> Also! Apparently, I'm an idiot, and skipped a chapter in Captive love... so that's what I posted for that story today... dumb me...  
> Also, also, I'm writing short smut one shots to kinda practice and figure out the way I'm writing the skeletons, they will be posted eventually, I've written Red, Classic, and am working on Mutt... Suggestions for the next one?

(Y/n) sat at the dinner table with Sans as Papyrus served them dinner made from the new groceries that Blue had brought. 

“But, that doesn’t make sense. Humans don’t have heats,” she told him. 

Sans chuckled as he watched her, amusement visible in his expression. “humans don’t know much about their own biology, do they? every breeding thing has a heat cycle or season… heh. even plants have a season where they pollinate and develop seeds for the next year.” 

(Y/n) mulled over that. 

It was true; pollen season was pretty sucky for some people. 

“just so happens that humans, like a lot of primates, developed a… hidden heat cycle,” Sans continued, “you can’t tell that you’re in heat… but that doesn’t mean it’s not happening. it’s so… the males can’t tell who the father is… to prevent infanticide.” 

“So…” She paused, trying to think her words through carefully. “I just smell really good, or something…?” 

“you smell delicious, but i always thought that, little lamb,” Sans teased with a bite to the air. 

Another cannibal joke. 

It made her wonder how many of them he had. 

“Sans- No Scaring (Y/n)!” Papyrus scolded. 

"not scaring her, paps, giving her a lesson in biology," he shot back at his brother teasingly. It took him a moment to speak again, but it was obvious that he was trying to collect his scattered thoughts, so (Y/n) waited. "didn't they have a class or something to teach you how babies are made?" 

(Y/n) tried to resist the heat creeping up her neck and the laugh trying to escape. "Yeah. Um. They called it sex ed… But it didn't teach anything other than 'don't do it' and 'now your body is going to tear itself apart every month'." 

Sans made a soft "hn" at that information. 

"Your Body Rips Itself Apart Every Month?" Papyrus asked, distraught. "B- but…" 

"Not _apart_ , apart, Papyrus, don't worry. I'll still be here, just… Generally in pain and irritable. My limbs aren't going to suddenly start flying off, or anything. Sorry, Sans," she teased, getting a grin from him. "It's really more of shedding skin." 

"L- Like A Reptile?" Papyrus asked in confusion. 

"Mmm… Kinda," (Y/n) told him after thinking about it for a moment. "But, it's on the inside, and instead of having a cool you shaped shell after, it's kinda… an ongoing bloody mess, for a couple of days." 

There was a non humorous huff from Sans, but his expression was unreadable when she looked over. 

Papyrus sat down at the table, seeming despondent. "That Seems Entirely Uncomfortable And Unpleasant…"

(Y/n) nodded, agreeing, "yeah, it sucks pretty hard. More for some people, less for others." 

Papyrus picked up his fork and hesitated. "You Should Probably Stay Here, While You're… Experiencing The Fertile State... (Y/n)... It's… Probably Not A Good Idea To Be Out There Alone…" 

She was about to ask why, but Sans beat her with an explanation. 

"unless you want to be fucked senseless by any and every skeleton that finds you." 

(Y/n)'s eyes widened at his bluntness. And… embarrassingly, she felt a bit excited by the thought. 

Wow… She must really be at that point in her cycle. Being super horny _did_ usually precede her period. 

(Y/n) shifted uncomfortably and picked up her fork, catching the dark smirk on Sans' teeth, his eye socket seeming to give a knowing glow. 

Embarrassment filled her. 

Fuck… She was never going to have a moment of privacy while she was around these skeletons… 

She lifted a bite of food and as a distraction asked, "so, uh- they called you Axe? Why's that? Kind of weird out of nowhere."

Sans chuckled as he paused in shoveling his food between his teeth. "you can call me bethany if you want," he offered with a humorous tone. 

(Y/n) looked at him in confusion. "Wha- what? Why Bethany…?" 

"bethany is the name of my axe," he told her, his expression still full of humor. 

"They _call_ you Axe because you _have_ an axe? Lots of people have axes…" 

He paused, his expression a bit darker. "because i _used_ an axe." 

Papyrus looked uncomfortable and nervous, unsure of what to do or say.

"Nice to meet you, then, Bethany," (Y/n) greeted, making Sans chuckle and saving Papyrus from the subject she was sure he didn't want to talk about. 

.

Sans and Papyrus insisted that she stay inside, despite her wanting to go out, and she could only stand it for two days before she got frustrated. 

"Why?" She asked, her phone dropping from her hand, job search forgotten. 

"Why What, (Y/n)?" Papyrus asked. 

"because," Sans put in unhelpfully from his recliner. 

"Why do I have to stay inside?" 

Papyrus looked a bit uncomfortable. "P- Perhaps You Should Try To Answer That One, Sans…" 

Sans nodded, seeming to zone out for a moment. 

His fingers moved up to his eye socket, fingering the edge, scratching it a bit, but not tugging, and (Y/n) wondered if he'd forgotten what he was doing. 

"if dogs up here are like dogs from underground, they can scent emotions and stuff, right?" He finally asked. 

"Y-yeah…" She agreed. 

He nodded, taking another moment. "when dogs go into heat, the other dogs smell it and are attracted, and mating happens." 

She nodded, but he didn't continue. "You're saying that you guys are like dogs, and you have a really good sense of smell?" 

"more like we can smell the pheromones," he corrected, "and heat pheromones attract mates and tell them you're open for business… basically your body is yelling out at the world, begging to get-" 

"SANS, Language," Papyrus cut him off, but Sans just grinned. 

(Y/n) felt nervousness build in her stomach. "Th-then… why am I safe here…?" 

"easy," Sans told her. "when you live in hell, with no food, it's not exactly the best time to procreate. everyone's heats stalled… kinda just… stopped." 

(Y/n) felt her gut twist as hurt filled the pit of her stomach. To be so desperate to survive that you were forced to do things you'd never think you're capable of… And on top of that, nature decided that it wasn't safe to continue your species. 

What a horrifying, terrible place it had been there… 

How could it have been so different where the other monsters were from? None of _any_ parts of the information that had come out when the monsters had been freed covered anything like this. It had seemed like a pretty nice place, despite being stuck underground. 

She didn't know what to say, but she noticed that Papyrus had been particularly quiet during the conversation. She felt like she needed to say something… 

"It- um… hasn't restarted or anything since you came to the surface?" She asked. 

Sans was silent for another moment. "no." 

(Y/n) wanted to ask, but she really also didn't… and didn't want to offend them. 

"that doesn't mean there's no drive." 

Her surprise and embarrassment showed on her face. 

"that's what you were going to ask, wasn't it?" He asked smugly. 

He must have been the biggest tease before his world had gone to hell. 

She nodded. 

He chuckled at her. "still have the desire, but not going to be mindlessly driven to procreate… not… made brain dead by the heat pheromones." 

"Sans, It's Inappropriate To Be Amused By This Conversation," Papyrus scolded halfheartedly. 

"sorry, paps. just had something i had to _get off_ my chest," he apologized, but grinned at (Y/n). 

She snorted, laughingly reprimanding, "highly inappropriate." 

She missed the look that came over Sans' face at her snort, too busy trying not to laugh at how offended Papyrus was at his comment. 

.

Sans woke up, his head aching, as usual. 

He let his large red eyelight roll to take in his surroundings. 

His room. 

Not the one in the underground. 

He let out a sigh, his eyelight landing on a messy scrawl on the wall directly across from him. 

He sat up, his hand going to rub around the hole in his skull. 

_REMEMBER_

_paps is still alive_

A sense of relief settled in his chest. 

~~_there is food here_ ~~

That one was crossed out angrily, but then written again in the space between it and the next line. 

_there is food here_

_you’re not underground_

He remembered that one. Good. 

_no more resets_

Thank every star in the sky. 

_there are other skeletons here_

Right, he remembered them. Different timelines and all that. 

_there is a human._ _~~watch~~. _

_pap’s human. safe_

She was downstairs on the couch, or she should be, if he remembered correctly. 

Sans climbed from his mattress, starting toward the door. After he’d cleaned himself up, changed his clothes, and repeated the things on the wall fifty times, trying to grind it into his memory, he started downstairs. 

The human wasn’t on the couch. 

A bit of worry crossed his features until he got to the kitchen and saw her helping his brother cook. 

His features relaxed back into a more calm expression and he entered the room, standing there and staring at the pair. 

His soul felt full and happy, for the first time since before the famine. 

Papyrus was happy. He had a friend. A friend that didn’t wince at him every time she saw him. 

Sans felt satisfied. 

Part of it probably had to do with the heat scent coming from Paps’ human. Weird human biology made it so that she didn’t get driven insane with the need to mate. 

"Sans, Are You Going To Sit Down, Or Just Stand There All Day?" Papyrus asked, and Sans chuckled, sitting at the table as the human moved toward it. 

“Here, Sans,” she said pleasantly as she set a full plate in front of him. 

Her scent filled his nose at the proximity and he felt himself drool. He licked his teeth quickly and looked at the food. “looks delicious.” 

She did. 

She was very pretty. 

He’d really hate to have to eat her. 

there is food here, he reminded himself, digging into the plate full of it. 

. 

She had to stay inside; the others would swarm her if they smelled her. 

She smelled so good… 

She didn’t like to be stuck inside. 

Sans didn’t blame her; after living through hell underground, the sky was the most beautiful picture he’d never get sick of. 

Watching her and Papyrus pass the day by cooking, doing puzzles, playing games, which were mostly puzzle based, even cleaning and just doing chores… it was the most relaxing day he remembered having in current times. 

Eventually, bedtime came, and Papyrus hugged the human and said goodnight before heading toward the stairs. 

Sans paused next to her where she was getting the couch ready for her to sleep. 

She was wearing a pair of shorts and a t-shirt… nothing too provocative, but… she had so much of her soft skin showing. And… her scent was teasing him. 

“Aw, you want a hug, too, Sans?” She teased, noticing him standing there with his hands in his pockets. 

Sans ran his eyelight over her before his grin shifted, looking mischievous. “...yeah.” 

She looked surprised that he’d actually accepted and opened her arms, leaning forward for a hug. 

Sans wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tight against him and buried his nasal ridge into the space between her shoulder and neck. 

It was all he could do to resist licking her and taking that taste into his mouth. 

He pulled back and turned, going upstairs without another word, listening as she laid on the couch to sleep. 

Sans plopped on his mattress, feeling the old familiar weight against his femur. 

He shouldn’t have done that… now he wanted to give in to his urges as the others would… 

He laid back and tried to ignore the tent in his shorts, but it was very difficult with her scent fresh in his nasal cavity. 

He wanted that scent… 

He wanted more of that scent… 

Sans pulled his shirt to sniff it, catching any lingering scent she’d left. 

Nothing… 

Without thinking, he used a shortcut to the room that had the washer and dryer in it. 

He knew that her clothes were in there… and he didn’t want to be a total creep and go start sniffing her as she slept. 

He may act crazy, he may even _be_ crazy, but he wasn’t _that_ crazy. 

Sans dug through the neat pile of clothes she was probably going to wash tomorrow and took a sharp breath as he found a particular shirt. 

His tongue moved over his teeth and he was back on his mattress, burying his nasal cavity in the sleeve of the shirt he’d taken, smelling the lingering scent of blood. 

Her blood. 

The memory of her licking the blood from her palm played clearly in his mind. 

Her tongue reached out, dragging across the patch of red on her palm… the metallic tang in the air… 

Drool started running down Sans’ jaw, soaking into the fabric of the shirt. 

That may not have been the first moment he’d realized that he wanted her, but it was one of the ones that stood out in his mind. 

Sans stuck the sleeve into his mouth, careful not to catch it on his teeth. 

His saliva washed through the fabric and he could almost taste her… 

He was so unbearably hard right now… 

His magic cock was sore and aching for release. 

It had been a very long time since he’d had release; most of his functioning brain worked on survival, not on finding a mate, but… 

Fuck… she smelled so good… 

Sans’ hand moved down to drag a phalange over his hard cock through his shorts, teasing it. 

He suddenly felt like he needed this more than anything he’d needed in his life. 

His hand dove into his shorts, gripping his cock and stroking, but it didn’t feel like enough. 

His free hand brought the rest of the shirt up to his nasal cavity, his tongue moving over the sleeve in his mouth, filling his senses with her. 

oh, little lamb… how i would fill your sweet body… 

His thoughts became more and more possessive as he went, his hand jerking his cock in an inconsistent pattern. 

my sweet little lamb… too kind for your own good… i’ll have to teach you how dangerous the world is… 

“hnnnnrghhhhh,” he groaned out through the shirt. 

i’ll cover you in my scent… 

leave marks all over your body… places only i am allowed to see… only _i_ am allowed to touch… 

i’ll fuck you so hard your poor pussy will weep for me to stop… 

but i won’t… 

i’ll wear you out until you can’t move… 

your pussy will be so well used you’ll have- just… just a little bit of discomfort- a little bit of blood. 

i’ll clean it for you after, don’t worry little lamb… 

my tongue will reach inside and clean it for you… 

soothe you… 

comfort you… 

The memory of her tongue gliding over her skin, licking up her blood, played in his mind again in slow motion. 

He’d have done that for her… 

The thought of lifting her hand to his mouth and licking the blood from her palm made him jerk in his hand. 

fuck- 

She tasted so good, too… it would be even better from the source. 

Sans’ mouth fell open and his tongue lolled out. The drool soaked shirt sleeve fell, and he took it in his hand, wrapping it around his cock as he stroked it. 

That simple act of cleaning her cut, tasting her blood- she’d be riled up, too- she’d want him, too… 

Her cunt would be soaked, ready and begging for him… 

Sans was panting like he was in a locked car at midday in record heat temperatures. 

fuck- 

She was so soft… 

fuck-

She was so delicate- 

fuck-

He’d have to be extra careful not to hurt her- on accident… 

fuck- 

He’d fill her tight little cunt with enough magic that she’d be able to get over her heat immediately. 

fuck! 

Sans came, a half choked sound pushing its way past his lolling tongue as he spilled his magic onto her shirt. 

He caught his breath as he rubbed the soft shirt fabric against his cock and continued stroking until he was empty. 

He looked down at the sin covered fabric stupidly for a moment. 

What did he do with it, now? 

He couldn’t give it back… it was covered in his cum… 

Sans licked over his teeth again. 

She wouldn’t miss it. 

Surely… 

She had plenty of clothes… 

What were the chances she’d miss one shirt… 

Sans stuffed the shirt into his pillow, hiding it in case Papyrus came in to do his laundry like he sometimes did, and found it. 

He panted as he looked back to the wall with all of his important things. 

He sluggishly moved to the end of the mattress and dug out his marker, adding her name so it read;

_pap’s human. safe. (y/n)._

He’d refused to use her name until now on the slim off chance things went to hell and he’d have to take some drastic measures, but… 

He was finding he didn’t want to do that to her, anymore… maybe that… he couldn’t… 

Sans dropped the marker and put his hand on the wall next to her name. 

“(y/n),” he murmured. 

He repeated her name until he had to lay down before he passed out. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I also posted a chapter of [Captive Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097), too!  
> And I have a [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/).  
> Ok- AND! AND! I got [fanart](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/623576538950041601/sans-sniffing-readz-and-being-a-creep-in-general) and more [fanart](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/624567755717427200/um-oh-my-god-how-did-i-miss-this-i-love-it)!!! I'm so excited! Squeeeee!  
> Ok... maybe I begged last chapter...lol but... I'm just so excited!  
> If you want to send me fan/ other stuff, you can link (mention) me (or send an ask or whatever) on tumblr!


	11. Food found, mind lost

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally get to find out what happened to the missing food!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep meaning to mention how amazing it is that this story is getting so many reads, bookmarks, kudos, and comments! Oh my gosh, I love you guys so much! Thank you! It gives me a huge smile and makes my day brighter!
> 
> Um, I don't _think_ it needs a trigger warning, but I'm going to put one anyway, _juuuust_ in case; Reader gets thrown down and pinned- and not in that sexy way...  
> (that is the extent, basically) 
> 
> I'm also writing one shot smuts for each guy to kinda practice writing them in bed before it happens in the story. They'll be released probably starting soon, but I need help deciding who should be next! I've finished Classic, Red, and Mutt. You can submit a vote/ suggestion [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uV1Ydviqi95BAJKVfPiV02P4ZWK4IJr2HNhvgtfMy-M/viewform?edit_requested=true)!

(Y/n) mopped the kitchen floor, planning her attack on her laundry next. She had a load of clothes, and she’d been sleeping in her blankets for a while, should probably wash those… If she did the blankets first, then they'd be dry for bed tonight, but if she waited, they could be fresh from the dryer and warm… 

Papyrus carried a basket out of the laundry room, going to put it on the couch. 

She expected him to tell her that the machine was free, now, as he’d been doing his laundry, but instead, he returned to tell her from the doorway, “I’ve Put Your Clothes On The Couch, They’re All Folded And Everything.” 

(Y/n) looked up at him in surprise. “I- y-you didn’t have to do that, Papyrus! I was just waiting for you to finish with the machine!” She told him, a bit flustered by his sweetness. 

Papyrus reflected her flustered state. “I-It Was Nothing! I Was In There Already, And I Just Thought I’d Do It For You!” 

“Thanks, Papyrus,” she told him with a grin. 

“Y-You’re Welcome, (Y/n)... Now… I Must Go Get Sans’ Clothes Before They Start Standing On Their Own,” he announced, heading off upstairs. 

Sans himself came into the living room shortly after, collapsing back into his recliner, as though sweeping the room he'd come from had been the hardest chore in the world. 

Papyrus opened the door to Sans’ room, turning on the dim light and gathering the laundry that hadn’t made it to the basket. 

He was getting better at getting it all in there, at least. 

Papyrus opened the closet door and found a huge stack of dirty laundry, even taller than usual. 

He gathered what felt like a load of laundry, deciding to take it in loads, but his hand hit something hard and he looked at it in confusion. 

Papyrus set the laundry in his arms down and leaned closer to the thing he’d hit to get a better view of it. 

A box. 

He moved a couple of pieces of laundry out of the way and saw- food. 

The missing groceries. 

Papyrus’ brow bones met, and he pulled the box out, finding another one. 

Blue _had_ brought the food… he _had_ given it to Sans… 

But why had Sans hoarded it up here, hidden away? Why had he acted like there wasn't any food? 

(Y/n) was scrolling through her phone, searching for jobs close enough that she could make it there for work, but not having much luck. 

She looked up when Papyrus stepped onto the floor, looking hesitant and very nervous, with a box in his hands. It looked like one of the ones that Blue had dropped food off in… 

Did Sans really use an old fruit box to toss his dirty clothes in? 

“S-Sans…” Papyrus started. 

“yeah, paps?” Sans asked, looking up from the recliner and cracking his sockets open. 

“S-Sans… Did you- ...A-Are…” 

“c’mon, paps, what’s _eatin’_ ya?” Sans asked with a wink to (Y/n), looking more serious and turning to his brother when he didn’t react to his pun. 

Papyrus set the box down and started wringing his hands. “Sans… why is there a stash of food in your closet under the dirty clothes?” He asked softly. 

Sans stood in confusion and moved around his chair to look down into the box, his expression going blank. 

Too blank. 

The creepiest kind of blank. 

His dim eyelight disappeared, his red one getting wider, and his hand moved up to it, tightening around and digging at the socket. 

(Y/n)’s instincts pricked, honed from working a few years with clients who had full out physical attacking behaviors. 

She stood and put her phone in her pocket. Sitting and having something out that could be used against you as a weapon were both liabilities in this situation. Her hand quickly went to her hair, tugging the elastic from it and pulling her hair up higher so that it couldn’t be grabbed as easily, checking her memory for loose jewelry as well. 

Sans’ hand got a little more violent with his socket, and she could tell that he was starting to hurt himself. She knew Papyrus didn’t like when he did that, worrying that he’d hurt himself very badly, or permanently. 

She didn't like the thought either. 

Sans stared at the box of food on the floor in front of Papyrus. 

His gaze focused in, everything else seeming to fade away. 

He remembered taking that box. 

Remembered Blue telling him that he’d be away for a bit, but that there should be enough to last. 

Blue reminding him that the others were there, and they’d get him more if he needed it. 

He remembered feeling nervous, worrying about if they ran out of food before their supplier came back. 

Sans felt his bones heating up in anger, his breathing getting heavier and harsher. 

Papyrus wasn't there when Blue brought it, so he took it.

He remembered deciding to put some aside, to make a backup stockpile. 

He could even see himself carefully covering it with his clothes in his closet. 

Just in case. 

It was his fault. 

He’d keep some food in reserve. 

It was _his_ fault. 

Hidden so that no one would take it.

 _His_ fault.

And then, he’d forgotten about it. 

_His fault._

Sans had hidden the food, and then _fucking forgot_ so they couldn’t find it. 

Anger and self hatred filled him, eating away at the remaining pieces of his rational mind. 

_Why was he like this?!_

It was his fault Papyrus had almost had to go without food. 

His fault that when the traps were empty he’d almost killed (Y/n) and served her to his brother. 

His fault.

 _His fault._

His fault. His fault. His fault. 

It was all his fault. 

Everything. 

_He’d almost let Papyrus s t a r v_ **_e_** _._

His fault his fault his fault his fault his fault hi- 

A soft hand pulled Sans’ wrist, tugging his fingers from his socket, and he flipped, going from standing still to attacking. 

He grabbed his attacker’s soul and dragged, throwing them to the ground, landing on top of them. 

His arm was directed away by the hand on his wrist, his other blocked by the forearm now pressed into his sternum. 

Sans’ eyelights cleared, the haze leaving him to see (Y/n) on the floor under him. 

She was lucky her arm had blocked his. 

His hand was touching the handle of his cleaver. 

He’d been about to use it. 

Her eyes were focused up at him, carefully reading his emotions. Concern was visible in them. 

Damn green souls. 

They always got themselves into situations where they could get hurt! 

He could have hurt her -Sans pulled his hand away from the handle of his cleaver- he almost _did_ hurt her. 

She needed to be careful! 

Especially when he couldn’t trust his own mind! 

He was dangerous. 

It was dangerous for her to be around him! 

He- 

...he could have… 

...he’d almost… 

(Y/n). 

Her name played through his mind, etched there by his repeating of it a few nights ago. 

(Y/n). 

She had to stay away from him. 

With a growl, he snapped his jaws at her in warning of what could have happened. 

Her eyes shifted, full of- concern and something else. Something like… 

Betrayal.

Sans growled again before he climbed up from over her on the ground and stormed to his room. 

Sans threw the door shut, fuming. 

He was so stupid! 

Fucking _unstable_! 

Sans dug the marker from the end of his mattress and stood in front of his wall of reminders, messily scrawling a new note. 

_REMEMBER_

_paps is still alive._

_don’t hurt the human, (y/n)!_

~~_there is food here._ ~~

_there is food here._

_you’re not underground._

_no more resets._

_there are other skeletons here._

_there is a human._ _~~watch~~. _

_pap’s human. safe. (y/n). do not hurt!_

Sans grit his teeth, feeling the hatred still burning inside his soul. He put one arm on the wall, moving his good eyelight close enough that the sentence was dominating his vision. 

“don’t hurt the human. don’t hurt (y/n). don’t hurt the human…” 

He repeated it over and over.

. 

“Are you alright, (Y/n)?” Papyrus asked softly as he helped her up from the floor, his concern overflowing from him. 

“Yeah,” she answered. “I mean, it’s not happy fun time, but I’m ok,” she assured at his disbelieving expression. 

“A-Are You Sure…?” He asked. 

“Oh, Papyrus,” she waved off his concern with a brittle laugh, “I’ve been bitten, hit, kicked, stomped on, peed on, pooped on, creeped on, threatened with a dirty fork, actually worried for my safety, had to get a knife away from a client… I’ve seen my share of bad days. ...It… It’s really my fault anyway…” She murmured, looking down at her hand. 

“H-HOW…?” Papyrus asked in shock. 

“I… I should have known better than to just grab his arm, but… he was hurting himself… I- I thought I saw some bone fall…” She trailed off, her eyes falling to the floor. 

Papyrus wrapped his arms around her and leaned down, pulling her close as he heard the tears in her throat. 

“I… I only wanted to help…” 

“Shh,” Papyrus cooed as he stroked her hair. “It’s ok…” 

“I- I’m trained to handle stuff like this, Papyrus, but… it’s hard… I just can’t think of you guys as clients… I mean, you’re not, but… my training isn’t something I’d ever have to use on anyone else, usually…” 

“It’s not your fault, (Y/n),” Papyrus assured her in a near whisper. “You shouldn’t have to worry about that… and, I-I, for one, am glad you don’t see us as clients… I like you much better as a friend…” 

“I like you better as a friend, too, Papyrus…” She told him with a watery smile.

Papyrus hesitated, not wanting to push anything on her or make it seem like he was trying to make her feel bad for anything. “I- I know Sans didn’t mean it, either… I know he didn’t do that on purpose…” 

“I know, Papyrus… Don’t worry, I still like him, too…” Even though she didn’t really know when she’d started liking him more than worrying about being around him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, all the things reader says have happened to her at work have happened to me. I love my job, but sometimes, having to get a knife away from a client, or watching them punch out a window (three fucking times before they got a reinforced replacement- ugh.)... can get stressful. 
> 
> I'm also going to post a chapter of [Captive Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097), too! Saturday night, hopefully. It's... delicious this week... ;)  
> And I have a [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/).  
> Alright, it's the same fanart from last week- but I'm still geeking out that I got any! [Axe being a creep in the kitchen, and a bonus of the leaf!](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/623576538950041601/sans-sniffing-readz-and-being-a-creep-in-general) and [Blue being a perv back in chap 8](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/624567755717427200/um-oh-my-god-how-did-i-miss-this-i-love-it)!!!  
> If you want to send me fan/ other stuff (like asks or whatever), you can link (mention) me (or send an ask or whatever) on tumblr! (I will 100% squee again.) Also, maybe if you don't hear back within a day, message, leave a comment? I missed idontknowwhat-iamdoinganymore's pic and just happened upon it!


	12. A license plate number is not an address

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Classic and Blue discover where Reader has been calling home, and Classic has a sudden offer for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok. First, I am so happy that this story has so many hits, bookmarks, kudos, and comments! I may or may not refresh my page an unhealthy amount of times hoping for comments... Lol. I love you guys so much! Thank you! It gives me a huge smile and makes my day brighter, always!
> 
> I'm also writing one shot smuts for each guy to kinda practice writing them in bed before it happens in the story. I've finished Classic, Red, and Mutt. Axe has been chosen by a landslide to be next written for!  
> You can still submit a vote/ suggestion [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uV1Ydviqi95BAJKVfPiV02P4ZWK4IJr2HNhvgtfMy-M/viewform?edit_requested=true) if you want to, but it would take a lot to change the tides!  
> (Important note about that at the end)

“yeah, blue’s off it, too. it really didn’t seem like a full heat- maybe a half heat…?” Stretch scratched his chin with the hand not holding the phone. 

He heard Classic sigh and a bit of movement on his end. “i’ve never heard of anything like that before… and did you- um… your soul…?” 

“yeah, we both felt- it. maybe that has something to do with it? i mean, in our underground, mates usually sync up heats so that there’s an even better chance of conceiving…” Stretch trailed off, bringing his bottle of honey to his teeth. 

“uh… i never heard of anything like that happening underground. but, it _was_ a bit different from your version. i can’t imagine undyne in a lab without wrecking the place,” Classic told him. 

“what about red? should we patch him in on this, too?” Stretch asked. 

Classic made a negative noise. “edge said that red’s heat has been so bad that he had to move into the main lodge temporarily. gotta at least wait ‘til he can think of something other than pussy.” 

Stretch made a noise in response. “what could cause that? yeah, he’s got a dominant heat, but he’s usually too busy nesting to be pissing people off…” 

Classic made an uncertain noise. “i’ve been in contact with crooks,” he changed the subject. “apparently humans’ mating cycle is every month instead of a few times a year.” 

“what?” Stretch asked in shock before muttering in exhasperation, “no wonder there are so many of them- they’re freaking obsessed with sex.” 

“yeah. next part’s great, too. apparently, after that, if they haven’t conceived, their insides shed out, like a ‘bloody lizard’, or something.” Classic rubbed his palm over his sockets. He’d been working too hard to try to figure this out. None of it made any sense. 

Being extremely horny was one of the symptoms of being in heat, but it didn’t seem that bad. Usually it was a ‘fuck or die’ feeling. This time, it had only felt like he couldn’t get enough, but he _could_ put it off and go take care of other things. 

“well... that’s no good…” There was a hint of worry in Stretch’s voice. 

“huh? why, what’s up?” Classic asked, taken off guard. 

“well, man, think of where she is… bleeding is _not_ going to help keep axe’s appetite under control…” 

“shit…” 

Stretch was right, of course. Crooks could only do so much to keep axe out of trouble. 

“what are we gonna do with her?” Stretch asked, leaning back with his arm behind his head. 

“we gotta get her out of there…” Classic groaned, the sound of him rubbing his hand over his face audible over the phone. 

“blue’d love it if she came over here-” 

“no,” Classic interjected so fast Stretch didn’t even get to finish his thought. “s-sorry, it’s just the…” 

“yeah, i get it, man,” Stretch assured him. The thought of (Y/n) staying at any of the other skeletons’ cabins gave him a very irritable feeling. 

How did she make him feel that way when he’d just barely met her, and hadn’t even spoken to her? He’d seen her for all of ten minutes, maybe. It was a really troubling feeling. 

“what about the main lodge? there are three bedrooms or something there, we’d be able to stick her there and still have an escape if one of us needs some time away from our own cabin,” Classic suggested. “and it’s not _with_ any of us, so that should prevent any problems.” 

“isn’t edge there,” Stretch asked, a dislike for that suggestion growing. 

“only temporarily, we’d just have to wait for red’s heat to be over so he can go back,” Classic told him. “i did some research into humans’ mating cycles after i spoke to crooks, and it looks like humans have an offset heat/ bleed cycle that lasts about a month, so it’s heat, the body figures out if it’s conceived, and then bleeds if not. so, we’ve still got about a week until the blood and she’s in danger there with axe.” 

Stretch sighed and ran his hand over his own closed sockets. “i think we’re overlooking the glaringly obvious solution. tell her the campground is closed and send her home.” 

“she knows it’s closed, axe told her. crooks invited her to stay, though,” Classic told him. 

“we could still just send her home,” Stretch insisted, getting a bit irritated. 

If she left, this problem of the way she made them feel would be dealt with. 

“yeah, but… i don’t feel like it. and i know you don’t either,” Classic told him, relaxing back in his desk chair. “‘sides, you really wanna have that fight with axe? i’m serious when i say that red was gonna have a bad time. and... it actually kinda seems like she can calm him down… might be useful… stars know _we_ haven't been able to get anywhere with him.” 

Stretch let out a groaning sigh, but didn’t comment otherwise. 

“we could always put it to a vote-” 

“nah, you’re right; it could be handy. ‘sides, she’s not going to be here forever, so… just gotta wait and she’ll leave,” Stretch grumbled. 

“anyway, i’m gonna go down and talk to her for a bit, later, i’ll let you know if there’re any complications. red should be able to focus on things other than getting his baculum wet by tomorrow, too,” Classic informed him. 

“alright. talk to ya later, then.” 

. 

Blue tugged his boots on and tightened his bandana around his vertebrae, making sure it didn’t fall off. 

“blue, it’s just going to be trouble- you know how dangerous humans can be when they get too close,” his brother told him, his age-old fear of humans playing up for some reason. 

“RIGHT, BUT ALSO, THEY CAN BE GREAT FRIENDS,” Blue told him. “AND THIS ONE… I- I KNOW YOU FEEL IT, TOO, PAPPY…” 

“blue, plea-” 

“NO, PAPPY,” Blue stopped him. “I KNOW YOU’RE NERVOUS, BUT YOU HAVEN’T EVEN GIVEN HER A CHANCE- SHE MIGHT BE NICE!” 

Stretch slouched lower, holding his grumbling. 

“DON’T SLOUCH, YOU’RE RUINING YOUR POSTURE,” Blue told him. “I’LL BE BACK TO MAKE DINNER. I’LL SEE YOU LATER.” With that, he left, quickly making his way to Classic and Creampuff’s cabin. 

“oh, hey, blue, ‘sup?” Classic asked as he opened the door. “you here to see paps?” 

“NO, I HEARD THAT YOU WERE GOING TO SEE THE HUMAN AT AXE AND CROOKS’ PLACE, AND I WANT TO COME, TOO.” 

“ah. ok, sounds good. let me get the door and we’ll head over there.” 

They walked down to the very last cabin, Sans shaking his head at how much Blue reminded him of his brother when refusing to let him use his ‘lazy shortcuts’. 

Blue talked the whole time about his and Paps’ trip, which Sans had already heard about at such high volumes from his brother, but it was easier to let Blue run the conversation than to try to keep one with him. 

As they got closer to their destination, they grew quieter. 

Blue knocked on the door and gave Crooks a huge smile when he opened it. 

Axe sat in his recliner further in the room, and they could hear (Y/n) talking in the next room. 

"No, of course, I understand. Yes. Ok, thank you." She sighed and then let out a groan before walking back into the room. 

"No Luck?" Crooks asked over his shoulder. 

Classic watched her shake her head as she went to where a game was set up, taking her seat, unaware of the two entering, yet. 

"No. You have to have a job for three months to get a place, but you have to have a place with an address to get a job. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" She sighed, weighing her hands. She opened her eyes and looked up. "Oh, hi-" 

"OH! I KNOW THE ANSWER TO THAT ONE!" Blue exclaimed excitedly, a huge grin on his face, at the same time Classic asked, "you don't have an address?"

(Y/n) blinked at them for a second before breaking out in a smile. "Sure I do," she told Classic, listing something extremely short before turning to Blue. "You should tell me so I can swing it, then!" Her smile was bright, her kindness flowing with her voice. 

For some reason Axe flinched. 

"that's a license plate number," Classic clarified. 

The smile fell from Blue's face, giving him an innocent, curious look as he glanced between them. 

"Ya got me," (Y/n) answered a little sheepishly, but with good humor. 

Now Blue's face showed concern and confusion. "WHY IS YOUR ADDRESS A LICENSE PLATE NUMBER?" He asked, forgetting about her question. 

"crooks asked you to 'hang out for a bit' because you don't have a place to live," Classic confirmed in realization. 

There was a growl from the recliner, Axe glaring dangerously and them, his fingers at his socket. 

"Sans," (Y/n) murmured softly, a sad plea, making Blue and Classic look at her and Axe flinch again. "Please…" 

Axe couldn't meet her eyes, but took his hand away from his socket and stuffed it in his pocket. 

Blue gasped, seeming to remember what had been said, hurrying to her. His eyes shimmered like a character from a goddamn anime as he took her hands. "OH NO! HUMAN! YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO LIVE?!" 

"I do- it's parked out back somewhere-" 

"BUT YOU DON'T HAVE A PLACE TO GO BACK TO! THAT'S NOT THE SAME THING! OH, HUMAN!" Blue pulled her out of the chair and against his chest. 

(Y/n) had to grab onto him so she didn't tumble to the floor, since he was shorter than her by probably about four inches. She looked up as she saw Papyrus come back into the room with a tray of drinks. 

"Oh! I'm Glad To See That You've Made Friends With Blue! He's One Of My Puzzle Buddies! Along With Thi- With Classic's Brother!"

(Y/n) smiled at him and tried to detangle herself from Blue. 

"THANK YOU, CROOKS!" Blue exclaimed, letting (Y/n) go to take the offered drink. 

"Hey, um, please don't call him that," (Y/n) asked. 

Blue looked at her in confusion. "BUT… WHAT WILL WE CALL HIM, THEN?" 

She looked at him like he was crazy. "How about Papyrus?" 

"BUT- PAPYRUS IS PAPYRUS! I- I MEAN…" Blue looked a bit flustered and panicked, glancing around at all of them. "Um… Thanks, P- Papyrus…" he corrected himself with a bit of trouble, eyelights focused on the ground. 

"thanks, paps," Classic said as he took a glass. 

Blue watched the toe of his boot mess with the carpet for a moment as Crooks passed out the drinks. "Y-you… You Know… YOU COULD ALWAYS LIVE WITH ME AND MY LAZY BROTHER, HUMAN!" He declared with a grin. 

(Y/n) uneasily glanced over to Papyrus, who also looked uneasy. "I- um-" 

"THAT'S NOT NECESSARY," Papyrus put in, a bit flustered. 

"Yeah, not necessary," (Y/n) agreed. 

"let 'er go, paps." 

Everyone looked at Axe in shock. 

"B-BROTHER-!" Crooks exclaimed. 

"Sans?" (Y/n) asked in concern. 

"'s dangerous for her here, paps… let 'em take 'er…" Axe mumbled into the palm supporting his head on the chair, his eyelights on a distant corner of the room. 

Classic's brow lifted. "ya sure-" 

"Excuse me, Sans," (Y/n) started, sounding irritated, "you don't get to decide where I go." 

His large red eyelight shifted up to meet her gaze. "i do when it's in my house," he told her. 

"This Is My House, Too, Brother," Crooks insisted. 

"My friend invited me to stay, Sans, if I'm overstaying my welcome he can tell me," she told him. "But you're not in charge of what I do in my life." 

Axe growled, standing, and she stood as well, not being comfortable with being shorter if he was going to be a threat. 

"well you are-! overstaying! you're uninvited! get out! take all your… worrying about people- with you!" Axe yelled at her with trouble, storming up the stairs, refusing to look back. 

He didn't want to look and see the hurt he'd put there, even if it was for her own protection. 

The way she couldn't seem to look after herself and constantly put herself into danger pissed him off. Not to mention that his brother might get hurt protecting her. And that they may split sides -as they already had!- because of Papyrus protecting her. 

Blue put himself between her and Axe's retreating form, as though any moment he'd come back with an attack. 

"I-I'll Try To Talk To Him, (Y/n), He- He's Just Upset-" Papyrus tried to rationalize. 

"It's ok, Papyrus," (Y/n) told him. "I mean, I was only staying here for a bit. I'll just go back to my camper. If these two are here, the danger is probably over." 

"But- (Y/n)..." Papyrus stopped near her, not letting himself touch her. 

"You'll still come visit me, right?" She asked with a smile. 

Crooks's face wavered and he wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. 

Classic watched as she hugged him back. 

"y'know," he started, "we were only comin' to check on you and pull you out because we heard about the bleeding part of your cycle and worried about axe's self control… but… actually, hearing that you're looking for a job… it could actually solve a few things. even better if you don't have a place to go back to, since it's a live in position…" 

"What are you talking about?" (Y/n) asked. 

"well, i've been thinking about hiring someone to help take care of the place," Classic told her casually, and she gave a disbelieving look in response. "not necessarily the grounds, but places like the main lodge, where no one lives. maybe a cabin or two. isn't that right, blue?" He looked to his companion for confirmation. 

"YEAH!" Blue nodded, looking back to (Y/n), playing along perfectly. "I TAKE AMAZING CARE OF MINE AND PA- PAPPY'S PLACE, BUT I CAN'T SPEAK FOR THE OTHERS, AND I CAN ONLY MAKE IT TO THE MAIN LODGE SO OFTEN BETWEEN MY OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES." 

"Oh?" (Y/n) asked curiously. "And what responsibilities do you have here?"

"I HAVE A FULL TIME JOB AS A LIAISON BETWEEN THE HUMAN POLICE FORCE AND THE MONSTER ROYAL GUARD, Which Is Really Just The Monster Embassy, Now, I Guess, AS WELL AS A PART TIME VOLUNTEER POSITION! I ALSO DO THE SHOPPING FOR MOST OF US, AND, ALL OF THE COOKING AND CLEANING FOR MYSELF AND MY LAZY BROTHER!" 

"W-wow… that's a busy schedule for someone so young…" she commented, surprised. 

Blue looked almost offended. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'SOMEONE SO YOUNG'?!" 

"Well, you're the youngest one here, aren't you?" She asked. 

Blue gasped. "I- I MOST CERTAINLY AM _NOT_! I'M THE SAME AGE AS CROO- PAPYRUS AND CREAMPUFF!" 

(Y/n) blinked at him in surprise. 

"Creampuff Is Classic's Brother," Papyrus put in helpfully. 

Classic was chuckling to himself. 

"IT'S NOT FUNNY, CLASSIC!" Blue declared. "EVERYONE _ALWAYS_ THINKS I'M YOUNG AND TREATS ME LIKE A LITTLE KID!" 

"I- I'm sorry," (Y/n) apologized. "You're just so energetic- I- honestly don't know why I-..." 

Blue let out a soft sigh, then put the smile back on his teeth. He turned to her and reached for her hands again, holding them to his cheekbone. "IT'S OK, HUMAN. I FORGIVE YOU! BUT- ONLY IF YOU'LL HAVE DINNER WITH ME AND TRY MY MAGNIFICENT COOKING!" 

"Um, well," she stalled. "Can Papyrus come, too?" These skeletons were seeming less and less creepy, and how bad could Blue really be if he was a liaison between the two races' protection forces? But still… 

"OF COURSE PAPYRUS- UM, PAPPY, WILL BE THERE, UM… BUT…" He seemed to get nervous with (Y/n) looking at him in confusion, and the other two seeming to want to cut in, but not cause more suspicion. His hands let hers drift away. "BUT I'D REALLY RATHER IT BE JUST THE TWO OF US!" 

(Y/n) stopped as something occurred to her. "Your brother's name is Papyrus, too, isn't it?" 

"Y-YES," Blue nodded nervously. 

"And you call him Stretch, and you call Papyrus," she gestured at Papyrus, "Crooks so they don't get confused." 

Blue nodded in delight of her cleverness. "EXACTLY!" 

"Hm. So we just have to figure out a better nickname for Papyrus!" She smiled at him, then turned to face Classic. "Let me guess, your brother's name is Sans or something?" 

"heh. no, he's not sans," Classic chuckled. 

"Is he Papyrus, too, then? Come on, he's not really named Creampuff," she commented at his look. 

"heh… got me there…" He commented a bit nervously. 

"Is your name really Classic? Or are _you_ Sans?" 

He gave a nervous laugh. 

"Is that what Sans'," she pointed in the direction of Sans' room, "joke about you all being the 'same person' was about? Because you all have the same names?" 

Blue tugged on her arm, pulling her attention back to him, then letting one hand move up to run along her cheek and through her hair. "YOU'RE SO SMART, HUMAN! YOU WILL MAKE A WONDERFUL DATEMATE! YOU _WILL_ HAVE DINNER WITH ME, WON'T YOU?" His huge smile never left his jaw as he asked, seeming suaver than before. 

Wow, had she thought he was a kid? He was pretty damn smooth for seeming so immature… 

"Y-yeah, ok," she agreed. 

"A- And, If You Took The Job And Are Here, We Can Still Spend Time Together- Maybe You Can Join Blue, Cream, And Me For Puzzles And Things!" Papyrus exclaimed, clutching his hands together in joy. 

"That _would_ be fun," (Y/n) agreed. She kept quiet, though. She didn't believe that they'd been about to hire someone for whatever vague job they were proposing. 

A sudden upbeat song started playing, sounding vaguely familiar. 

"OH! SORRY!" Blue walked away across the room and answered his phone. "HI PAPPY! … YEAH- OH! I DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS GETTING SO LATE! … OF COURSE, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK- AND DON'T FILL UP ON HONEY! I'M MAKING DINNER!" Blue walked back to them, sticking his very new, fancy looking phone into his pocket. "I'M SORRY TO HAVE TO LEAVE IN THE MIDDLE OF OUR CONVERSATION, BUT I HAVE TO GET BACK TO MAKE DINNER. OH! HUMAN! GIVE ME YOUR PHONE NUMBER AND WE CAN PLAN ON WHEN TO HAVE OUR DINNER!" 

(Y/n) gave Blue and Classic her number, as well as Papyrus, having not thought of giving it to him since she had seen him every day. 

"I'll Walk You Back To Your Camper, While Sans Is Having His Fit," Papyrus told her as the other two readied to leave. 

"You could always just stay and hang out there for a bit," (Y/n) told him. "I'm always over here, but you're invited to come to my place, too, Papyrus. Even if there's not much space. I'll move boxes out for you!" 

Papyrus smiled uncomfortably, then ducked his head to hide it. "I'd like that…" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I usually say that I've posted a chapter of my other story, but it's running really long, and I wasn't able to finish it in time this week. Fear not, though, for instead, I have-  
> [Mutt's tied toy](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25756672)! It's the one shot for Mutt. There are bondage and dominance themes. Hopefully I'll be able to finish the chapter for next week, it's just getting really long, and it can be tough to get more than 5 mins at a time where I don't get interrupted. I'm at a scene that I need a chunk of time to write. 
> 
> If you want to send me stuff (like asks or whatever), you can do so on [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!  
> Why not check out a [comic](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/625546264131616768/ah-haha-hahaha-i-i-suck-at-drawing) I did as a comment answer because I'm a dork?


	13. A date or not a date?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Blue (and Stretch) saves Classic's ass, we get to learn a bit more about Blue, as well as a new nickname for HT!Paps!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my gods I'm finally off work! I wanted to put this out yesterday, but worked the swing until 9, and had A DAY tm. I literally got home, made a sandwich to take my meds with and ate it as I got ready for bed, then went to bed for my shift today (day 6 this week, yay lol). I'm surprised I could eat anything after the gross shift, honestly.  
> Uh, hey! Note... Creampuff's comment and teasing Classic is inspired by real life comments by Ace people! Um... I hope I conveyed it correctly. Tell me if not, though! <3  
> We also get to see some of Blue's perspective- oh my god, a pov of a Sans that isn't Axe- who knew it was possible?! lol.  
> And, ok, so hear me out! When I was trying to explain to my guy that Crooks is a giant sweetheart, he couldn't wrap his head around it. We got into a discussion, and kept saying that Creampuff is a cinnamon roll, and I told him that if OG Paps is a cinnamon roll, Crooks is a cinnamon bun (I was thinking of sticky bun, but couldn't remember the name... -_-) that fell on the ground; slightly squished, a bit of hair and dirt on that one side- but still the same amazing cinnamon bun inside! So his name is Bun...  
> Ok, that's enough. Prepare for some HT!Paps cuddle-hugs!

"AND MAKE SURE IT'S BEEN ON THERE FOR A FEW DAYS," Blue told his brother, then sighed, "I SWEAR, I DON'T KNOW WHAT THAT IDIOT CLASSIC WOULD DO IF WE WEREN'T HERE TO SAVE HIS ASS." 

Stretch let out a soft, "nyeh heh," as he continued typing. 

"alright, bro, 's done," Stretch announced as he sat back. "ya really going to try to get her to stay?" he asked as Blue looked over it. 

"YES. I KNOW YOU CAN FEEL THE CONNECTION, TOO, PAPPY… I DON'T WANT HER TO GO…" 

Stretch just tilted his head in a half shrug to show his understanding. 

… … … 

"thanks, paps, for helpin' out with this," Sans told his brother, watching the taller skeleton adjust some furniture and start taking notes on what they needed to begin putting things together. 

"OF COURSE, BROTHER!" Papyrus smiled at him. "IT'S NOT EVERYDAY YOU GET A NEW FRIEND! ESPECIALLY ONE THAT MAKES YOU SO… FEEL SO… UM, WHAT'S THE WORD?" 

"uh, doesn't matter, paps," Sans assured him nervously, not feeling like discussing his personal, and not at all innocent, feelings for anyone with his brother. "um, i've gotta get to work… thanks again, paps!" 

With that, he shortcutted away, leaving Papyrus to chuckle as he continued with his tasks. 

Sometimes it was just plain funny how others reacted to sexual things; both the embarrassed discomfort and the restrained rabid horniness.

… … … 

(Y/n) blew warm air onto her hands, trying to heat them up so her phone would register that she was touching it. 

She was just scrolling past a group of jobs that she'd already applied for when her phone pinged with a message.

 **_Blue:_ ** _HEY, (Y/N)! I HOPE YOU'RE HAVING A GREAT DAY SO FAR! DO YOU WANT TO HAVE DINNER TOGETHER TONIGHT?_

A great day _so far_?! 

It was barely 10 am! He must get up extremely early for it to warrant a 'so far' when he's wishing a good day at ten in the morning. 

**_Me:_ ** _Hi Blue! Dinner sounds good for tonight. What kind of dinner are you planning?_

His reply was nearly instant, and she wondered if he was on a break, or just had a slow moment. 

**_Blue:_ ** _MY SPECIALTY IS TACOS, BUT FOR TONIGHT, I THOUGHT WE'D HAVE SOME NACHOS, AND PERHAPS WATCH A MOVIE, IF YOU'RE UP FOR IT?_

(Y/n) stretched before cuddling up in her blankets more. It was so cold at night here, and it lingered through the morning. 

**_Me:_ ** _That sounds good to me! What time would you like me to show up?_

 **_Me:_ ** _And I just realized that I don't know where you live._

 **_Blue:_ ** _NO! I WOULD BE A TERRIBLE DATEMATE IF I, AS THE ASKER, DIDN'T ARRIVE TO PICK YOU UP!_

 **_Me:_ ** _Ah. How proper._ She teased, having gone through a few words before settling on that one. 

**_Blue:_ ** _THAT IS WHAT THE MANUAL SAYS IS APPROPRIATE._

Manual? What manual could he possibly be talking about? 

**_Blue:_ ** _IS IT STRANGE?_

 **_Me:_ ** _No! I was teasing. It's still a thing that happens. Very gentlemanly of you._

 **_Blue:_ ** _GOOD! I WAS WORRIED THERE FOR A MOMENT… IT'S HARD TO TELL TONE OVER TEXT SOMETIMES._

 **_Blue:_ ** _THAT'S WHY I PREFER TO MAKE PHONE CALLS, BUT I'M STUCK SOMEWHERE I CAN'T CALL._

Blue stuck his phone back into his pocket, sighing softly. 

Creampuff usually sat next to him in their meetings, but he'd taken the day off to take care of the room for (Y/n) at the main lodge. 

Blue had helped him go shopping and pick out things to decorate the room for her the day before, so he had an idea of what it was going to look like. 

"And don't forget, we need to start implementing this new-" 

Blue zoned back out from the presentation the human police captain was giving. 

It was pretty pointless, really. He was just repeating the things he himself and Cream had told them at the conference. 

It was hard not to feel patronized sometimes, especially when they had literally _made up_ the position the two occupied, just for them. 

It was like no one expected them to be able to take care of themselves. 

They were both _quite capable,_ **_adult_** skeletons, thank you!

Blue would rather daydream about (Y/n) than be patronized, thanks. 

So he did. Looking forward to getting to know her that night, watching a terrible movie and cuddling on the couch… 

Maybe he'd be able to get his arm around her, pull her in close… 

Taste her mouth, maybe her- 

The meeting started wrapping up, everyone packing up and getting ready to head out to their shifts. 

"Hey, Blue-" 

Blue was startled out of his daydreams as the captain spoke. 

"Did that sound ok? Did I hit all the points?" 

Blue was surprised that the captain was speaking to him, asking how they’d done. They never did that… 

"OH! I UM… I GOT A LITTLE DISTRACTED," he chuckled guiltily, "BUT THE PARTS I DID HEAR SOUNDED FINE!" 

"Good to hear," the captain told him, a smirk lifting the edge of his lips. 

Blue started gathering his things, seeing that everyone else had already left the room, and tried to keep his anger in check. This is why no one took him seriously… why they all thought he was just a ditzy kid… if only they knew what was _really_ going through his mind. They'd never confuse him as a kid again. 

"I'VE GOT TO BE GOING, NOW… I'LL SEE YOU LATER!" Blue called over his shoulder, heading out through the door. 

. 

Stretch laid across the couch as he watched his brother unpack the bags he'd carried in. 

"looks like ya got something special. what are ya planning for dinner tonight?" He asked. 

"NACHOS," Blue answered, pulling a pan from the cupboard and sticking it on the stove before searching the cupboards again. "PAPPY, WILL YOU GET IN HERE?!" He groaned in agitation. "YOU PUT ALL OF THE CUTTING BOARDS TOO HIGH FOR ME TO REACH AGAIN ON PURPOSE, DIDN'T YOU!" 

Stretch stood and popped a sucker into his mouth. 

A smile stretched his jaw as he started pulling out things to get to the cutting board. 

Blue huffed and turned away. "YOU GET EVERYTHING PULLED OUT! I'M GOING TO GO PICK UP MY DATE!" 

"wait-" Stretch froze, then spun to the door Blue was opening, "what?" 

"DATE. I HAVE A DATE WITH THE HUMAN!" Blue declared before the door closed behind him and Stretch heard his motorbike started up a moment later. 

.

(Y/n) ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to untangle and put it up the best she could. 

For all the trying to nap she'd done, she hadn't gotten any more sleep, and it was making her brain feel fuzzy. 

After a look down at her jeans and kinda baggy shirt, she shrugged, finishing her hair. 

It was just dinner. 

Would Blue think it was a date? A dinner date? 

Well, whatever. Her outfit would be fine. 

It wasn't like this was a real date, right? 

… Right? 

… 

Maybe she'd better dig through her clothes again to find something a bit nicer…? 

She'd just started moving clothes around when a knock came at her door. 

Feeling a bit nervous, (Y/n) opened the door, seeing Papyrus standing there, hands wringing each other a bit absently, but happily talking to Blue. 

Seeing Papyrus instantly put her at ease, and (Y/n) grinned at him, "Papyrus!" 

The tall skeleton turned and wrapped his arms around her, swinging her from the camper door and set her down on the ground. "(Y/n)! Is That What You're Wearing On Your Date?" He asked when he pulled away. 

"I-" (Y/n) hesitated, looking around at Blue, who was wearing a soft looking light t-shirt under his leather jacket and dark jeans tucked into his boots. 

"YOU LOOK GOOD TO ME!" He told her. 

(Y/n) chuckled and waved a hand at him, accusing, "charmer," secretly glad, though, since with how casual it was, it seemed like her instinct that this wasn't a real date was correct. 

"Are you coming, too, then, Bun?" She asked Papyrus. 

"BUN?" Blue asked as Papyrus looked at her in question. 

"S-sorry, I was just trying it out, trying to find that new nickname…" She explained. 

"Why Bun?" Papyrus asked. 

"It's-" she laughed at herself, "short for 'cinnamon bun', because, I thought you deserved a nickname as sweet as you…" 

Papyrus blushed with a light glow of magic on his cheekbones. "I- I'm Not Going With You Two, I Was Just Showing Blue Where Your 'Residence' Was," he admitted. 

"YES. COME, DATEMATE! LET'S HEAD BACK UP TO THE ROAD; YOUR CHARIOT AWAITS!" Blue declared, holding out his bent elbow for her. 

(Y/n) chuckled softly, closing her camper door and slipped her hand into his elbow. 

It was a bit uneven as they walked, the difference in height and not flat ground trying to trip the two up as Papyrus tried not to trip over anything he couldn't see. 

"Oh!" (Y/n) suddenly stopped and pulled her arm from Blue's, turning and jogging back to her camper and hopping inside. After a moment, she came back into view and closed the door, gripping something tightly as she hurried back over to them. 

"Here," she said, catching her breath as she held out her hand. 

Papyrus took the things in her hand, staring at the notebook and glasses. 

"I found my dad's old reading glasses, and wondered if they could help you. The notebook is for Sans," she explained. 

Blue looked at her in confusion and held out his hand to Papyrus, who looked at him uncertainly. 

"Um… Oh!" (Y/n) exclaimed in realization. “You’re Sans, too, aren't you… Papyru- …which is also your brother’s name… wow… Yeah, I see why the need for nicknames is so strong… The notebook is for Bun’s brother, Sans.”

Blue took his hand back and gave her a grin. “OH! FOR KEEPING NOTES, RIGHT? THAT MIGHT HELP HIM A LOT! AND HE MIGHT ACTUALLY USE IT, IF IT’S FROM YOU! HE WAS NOT A FAN OF THE IDEA WHEN _I_ BROUGHT IT UP.” 

(Y/n) gave him a smile and a nod. “Yep. To help him remember what he’s doing, or what he’s planning for the day, since he seems to be a bit lost, sometimes,” she agreed. 

Papyrus looked at the things and cleared his non visible throat to get rid of the choked up feeling. 

“Try the glasses, Bun,” she urged. “I-is it ok? The nickname? I can stop-” 

Papyrus wrapped his arms around her again, pulling her in close, but reminding himself not to snap her spine on accident with his hug. 

“It’s wonderful, I love it, (Y/n). You can call me Bun whenever you want…” He told her softly. 

“TRY ON THE GLASSES, CROO- PAPYRUS,” Blue prompted. 

He was glad for his friend, really he was, and he really did like Crooks, but this was supposed to be _his_ date, and Crooks was getting all the time with his datemate! 

Papyrus let go of (Y/n) and straightened a bit, holding up the glasses in front of his sockets. “They- Make Things A Little Blurrier,” he admitted regretfully. 

“Ok, well darn,” (Y/n) said, “guess you need a real prescription, then.” 

Papyrus gave her a bit of a hesitant smile in response. “They… Might Help Sans, Though…” 

“Oh! Nice! Let him give them a try!” She urged. 

Blue tightened his hands at his sides. Yes, he was jealous. Anyone would be if their datemate wouldn’t stop talking to someone not associated with their date and spend time with them, he was sure! 

“HUMAN! HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN ON A MOTORBIKE BEFORE?” He asked. 

“I-” She turned back to Blue. “Oh, Blue, I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to leave you out of the conversation- I just… had those things for Bun- um…” She stopped as she realized that she was ignoring him again, this time _in_ the conversation. “Y-yeah, I think I remember doing that before, but… it’s been a while. Why?” 

Blue just grinned at her and held out his elbow again. “I’D LOVE TO SHOW YOU!” 

(Y/n) took his elbow, waving goodbye to Papyrus as they started toward the road and he started back toward his cabin. 

“I’M SO GLAD TO HAVE THIS DATE WITH YOU, HUMAN! I MEAN, OF COURSE YOU WOULD ACCEPT, I _AM_ THE MAGNIFICENT BLUEBERRY, AFTER ALL-”

“Your nickname is Blueberry?” (Y/n) interrupted to ask. 

“Y-YES,” he agreed a bit hesitantly. 

“Fitting,” she nodded as they got to the road. 

He stopped and looked up at her, standing a good four or so inches shorter than her now that they were on about even ground. “WHY DO YOU SAY THAT?” 

“Well,” she started thoughtfully, “everyone seems to think that blueberries are a super sweet berry, but they are actually a bit tart, maybe even sour… You said that everyone treats you like a kid, and you seem pretty sweet and enthusiastic like a kid, but you’re really just passionate.” 

The stars in Blue’s eyelights seemed to quiver, fluctuating for a moment. “C-CAN I KISS YOU?” 

“I- uh, huh?” (Y/n) asked in shock. “What?” 

“YOU’RE THE SWEETEST HUMAN I’VE EVER MET- MAY I CALL YOU (Y/N)?” He paused to ask.

“Y-yeah, of course,” she agreed. 

“YOU’RE THE SWEETEST HUMAN I’VE EVER MET, (Y/N),” he seemed to savor the way her name sounded on his tongue. “I CAN TELL THAT Y-YOU’RE SO VERY KIND, AND SWEET… I- I’M ALREADY QUITE TAKEN WITH YOU… AND… I WANTED TO KNOW IF IT WOULD BE ALRIGHT IF I KISSED YOU.” 

(Y/n) stared at him for a moment. 

This skeleton really wore his heart on his sleeve. 

She didn’t want to hurt him, but she didn’t exactly feel comfortable with him introducing her to skeletal kissing in that overexcited way he had about him. Especially so soon after meeting him. 

“Um… I…” She made the mistake of looking up and seeing his puppy dog eyes. “I’m not the kind of person to kiss on the first date,” she told him honestly. Not unless it went really, really, well, anyway. Or she was drunk. She could probably count the number of times it had happened on one hand.

“OH! I-! I DIDN’T MEAN TO INSINUATE-” Blue seemed flustered, if the turquoise glow on his cheeks and his appalled expression was anything to go by. 

“It’s ok, Blue, I know you didn’t,” she assured. “So let’s, um… wait and see, huh?” 

“YES! OF COURSE! I’LL BE THE BEST, MOST PATIENT DATEMATE POSSIBLE!” Blue declared with a pose, raising his fist in determination. “YOU- YOU WILL LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT TO, THOUGH, RIGHT?” He asked sheepishly. 

(Y/n) held back a chuckle at his cute demeanor. “Of course, Blue… I think they’re best when they just happen, though. You’ll be able to tell, I think, but you can always ask if you’re not sure,” she assured him. 

“OK! I’LL KEEP IT IN MIND!” He told her before turning to his bike and climbing on. “OH, UM…” he looked over his shoulder at her, a mischievous look on his face. “YOU’RE GOING TO WANT TO HOLD ON TIGHT.” 

“Do you live far away?” She asked, climbing on behind him and momentarily pondering where to put her arms before he took them and wrapped them around his ribs. 

“NO, JUST UP THE ROAD, AROUND THE BEND- BUT WE’RE GOING TO GET THERE PRETTY FAST,” he told her. 

(Y/n) tightened her arms around him as he gunned it and shot off up the road. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Blue: I-I WAS GOING TO SAY NECK! IT WAS HER NECK THAT I WAS GOING TO TASTE NEXT!  
> *hums in agreement while nodding* Mm-hm. And what was next?  
> Blue: WH-WHAT?  
> What was next? After her neck? Mouth, neck, so you're moving in a downward pattern, and the next thing in that path, about the same distance from the neck is-  
> Blue: *catches her hand as it lifts to point at the next destination* STOP! THAT'S PRIVATE!!  
> Sure is, wink wink.  
> Blue: NO- I MEANT IT'S PRIVATE BETWEEN ME AND MY DATEMATE!! AND DID YOU REALLY JUST SAY WINK WINK?  
> I said what I said. Wink. Wink.
> 
> I also have another chapter of my [other story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24584485) out today!  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)! 
> 
> Also! [A great comic](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/626451208133033984/hello-quiet-one-kitten-is-offended-sans-i/) with inspiration via a comment on here, by Hello-quiet-one/ Gloomy!


	14. First date with a skeleton

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Reader's date with Blue! Also, she ends up on the couch with Stretch. Suggestive? Not? Hmmm...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! So, I'm getting my wisdom teeth out next week! I'm absolutely not nervous about it! ^.^' Like at all! heh heh... >.<' I need some bone boys to help hold me down... or cuddle me back to health and tell me my swollen ass face is still nice, lol. I'm going to try to have it recorded to see if I say anything funny, but... literally when I got my tonsils out a couple of years ago, I was waking up from anesthesia, cleared my throat and, "knowing" that I wouldn't be able to talk, asked, in ASL (which by the way I'm not close to fluent in and have no reason to speak other than telling people things when I can't talk, though I did use it with a few nonverbal clients in the past), for a drink, for water, told the nurse I was thirsty, and finally had to just get my point across (she didn't speak ASL at all), so... don't know how long I have where I might say funny stuff... lol.

“I’M BACK!” Blue announced, opening the door to see his brother sitting a bit sullenly on the couch with a sucker clenched between his teeth. 

“Hi,” (Y/n) greeted. “Um, Papyrus, right?” She asked with a wry grin, showing that she already knew his name. 

Stretch let his eyelights roam and take her in as he relaxed into the couch a bit. 

The smile on her face twisted it in a way that was pleasant, her hair was a bit crazy and windblown, a testament to how fast his brother had hauled it from Axe and Crooks’. If she’d started the ride with any containment on it, it had quickly been lost. Her relaxed looking outfit endeared her to him more. 

He could appreciate someone that liked being comfortable. 

"hey. you can call me stretch,” he told her, moving the sucker to one side of his mouth. 

“R-really? Even though-” She started, surprised. 

“GO AHEAD AND SIT DOWN, (Y/N),” Blue ushered her to the couch. “I STILL HAVE ALL THE PREPPING AND COOKING TO DO!” 

“O-ok,” she agreed, sitting next to Stretch. “So, still ‘Stretch’, even though you’re the only Papyrus here?” She asked. 

Stretched shrugged laxly. “it was my nickname before we got here.” 

“Oh. Ok then,” she agreed, looking to the tv in the silence, seeing a show with cartoon characters running around on it. It looked like one of those easy watching shows that were geared toward adults who had too much on their mind and needed to let their brains relax. 

Or… maybe like something someone would watch when they were high.

(Y/n) lifted a brow and turned to look at Stretch, who turned to meet her gaze. 

His look was challenging, but she just inspected his eye sockets questioningly, seeing how they seemed to have a bit of mandrain orange under them that looked like sleepless bags. 

She just gave him a smile and turned back to the show, sure that her eyes probably looked about the same. 

(Y/n) could hear the steady, rhythmic sounds of Blue cutting things and cooking in the kitchen, just through the doorway, though he seemed perfectly content to let her and his brother watch the show as he cooked. Between the sounds of cooking and the relaxing show, she was starting to feel sleepy again. 

Even the adrenaline and excitement of the ride up here couldn’t keep her awake with how tired she was. 

“ _Bone_ tired,” she murmured to herself quietly with a hum of laughter. 

Stretch made a questioning noise, looking over at her, but she just looked back at him in question with her own questioning hum. 

He brushed it off, noticing how tired she was starting to look. 

He wondered if she, too, was visited by the demon called insomnia for a moment before he felt something against his femur. 

Stretch turned to see her leaning a little, her hand on the cushion, bracing her, and let it go, since she was just holding herself up. 

He stuck his elbow on the back of the couch to support his skull with his carpals so that she wouldn’t lean against it, going back to the show, but keeping a wary peripheral on her. 

There was a soft hum from (Y/n) before Stretch felt her head on his ulna. He turned, about to snap at her for getting so close to him when she was on a date with his brother, when she slid, her face colliding with his ribcage. 

He looked down at her in surprise, seeing her passed out. 

Well… he was really one of the last people that had room to get mad at people for falling asleep randomly… 

Blue hurried over at his sound of surprise. “WHAT DID YOU DO TO (Y/N), PAPPY?” He demanded in concern. 

Stretch looked over his shoulder to him with an innocent shrug. “think she’s just tired, bro. she just fell asleep.” 

Blue was about to say how his human datemate couldn’t be so lazy as his brother, but then remembered how cold it had been when he’d left for work that morning. It _was_ pretty difficult to sleep when it was so cold, he remembered from when he’d been in Snowdin. 

“I DIDN’T REALIZE SHE WAS SO TIRED- She Didn’t Say Anything…” Blue murmured. 

“huh,” Stretch commented. 

“W-Well… Let Her Sleep, Then, While I Finish Our Magnificent Dinner!” Blue decided, going back to the kitchen. 

"course, bro," Stretch agreed, looking back down to (Y/n). 

He glanced back at his brother who was humming in the kitchen, then looked back down at the woman on his chest, trying to figure out what to do with her. 

Stretch finally scooped her up a bit to get one of his long legs behind her, and laid her back down against his chest. 

She nuzzled against his ribs, one arm wrapping around him, the other slipping under the edge of his hoodie, twisting and holding a handful to her, settling comfortably between his legs and against his body. 

Stretch was filled with hesitation and discomfort. 

He knew that she wasn't doing it on purpose, especially when he pinched her nose closed and got only a bit of sleepy combativeness. 

Stretch sighed and got a bit more comfortable, laying back with one arm behind his head and one wrapping around her side. 

He watched her a bit suspiciously for a moment before attempting to run his phalanges through her hair. 

He enjoyed the texture… 

It was really nice… 

He started dragging the tips of his finger bones through it, letting his eyes drowsily fall closed. 

. 

Blue walked into the living room, seeing his brother and (Y/n) asleep on the couch, such a soft vulnerable look on her features… 

She looked so sweet… 

Blue had the sudden thought of her laying propped up on her back instead of on her side, kneeling between her thighs, laying over her and kissing her as her warm, soft body surrounded him… 

He gave himself a shake to bring himself out of his fantasies. 

He drew his hand down her shoulder, letting it drift down her back, then leaned forward and placed a kiss on her forehead. 

"what are ya up to, bro?" Stretch asked, one socket open. 

Blue rolled his eyelights in response. "IT'S AN INNOCENT KISS!" 

"yeah, sure, but that thing pressing against my knee ain't so innocent," Stretch told him, shifting his knee. 

Blue's sockets widened hugely, his eyelights fading as his brother's knee bumped against the bulge he hadn't realized had grown at his inseam. 

Blue straightened, his cheekbones glowing a bright turquoise. 

"why don't ya go get that under control, and i'll wake her up for ya," Stretch suggested. 

. 

(Y/n) felt the surface under her shaking, shifting as she woke. 

What was happening? 

Was it an earthquake? 

Her eyes opened to see a field of orange. It smelled like honey and cigarette smoke, and was soft, though sturdy. 

“hey, human, wake up,” a chill, but edged voice told her. 

She looked up and saw Stretch above her. 

How did he get here? 

Where was ‘here’? 

Oh yeah! She was at his house, on a date, with his brother! 

“Oh! S-sorry!” She told him, sitting up and scrambling away from him. “I- I didn’t mean- it’s just so hard to get sleep when it’s so cold- n-not that that’s an excuse… sorry,” she finally told him as she calmed down. 

Stretch shrugged like it wasn’t anything worth noting before looking around, (Y/n) took that moment to realize that she didn’t see Blue anywhere, then Stretch pulled a bottle containing a golden colored liquid from seemingly nowhere, and tilted it back to drink from the tip. 

“I- is that honey?” She asked. 

He cocked a brow ridge and grinned, then pulled it from his mouth. “ya want to give it a shot, _honey_? see what all the _buzz_ is about?” 

(Y/n) chuckled. “If I do it seductively do I get extra points?” 

Stretch was surprised, and a huff of laughter escaped him. He immediately let his long tongue loll out and lick up the whole bottle, taking the tip in his teeth and drinking the thick liquid. 

(Y/n) tried to hold it back, but laughed, hard, her mirth spilling out and infecting Stretch’s soul. 

He felt his jaw twitch up in a grin. His soul was thrumming a little faster, and it wasn’t due to anxiety, or orgasm… 

Blue bounded into the living room from the stairs, his normal ball of energy self. “(Y/N), YOU WOKE UP! I’M SORRY, I DIDN’T REALIZE THAT YOU WERE SO TIRED!” 

“Oh- no! It’s ok, Blue, no need to apologize- I’m sorry I fell asleep!” She told him. 

“IT’S OK!” Blue told her. “NOW YOU’LL HAVE ENOUGH ENERGY TO STAY AWAKE FOR THE MOVIE!” He seemed to notice Stretch drinking and frowned at him. “PAPPY, YOU STOP THAT DISGUSTING HABIT THIS INSTANT!” He scolded. “I HAVE MADE A DELICIOUS DINNER FOR US!”

The three went into the kitchen, and (Y/n) was aware of Stretch watching her as they prepared their nachos, insisting that she go first. 

The meat seemed… unsafe… though she couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was about it that seemed unsafe… 

Was it the burned part? The suspiciously pink part? The… glitter? 

She’d seen, and even had, edible glitter before, but she was pretty sure this wasn’t that. 

(Y/n) put out some chips on her plate, glad to see that at least most of the ingredients were fresh. She added some of the fresh veggies and spread some cheese on top. 

Thankfully, she knew that as long as it wasn’t machine cut metallic glitter, it should be marginally safe to ‘accidentally’ consume a small amount, so she scooped the meat around, putting a sparing amount of well done meat on top before covering it with more cheese and handing it to Blue where he was waiting next to the microwave to melt the cheese. 

“YOU DON’T WANT MORE MEAT?” He asked. 

(Y/n) could feel Stretch staring at her, warning and judging her as she scrambled for an answer, not wanting to hurt his sweet feelings. 

“Oh, well, I’m not a big meat eater, and I like mine a little more on the done side- besides, I didn’t want to hog it all!” She told him in excuse. 

It seemed to appease them both, thankfully. 

Stretch seemed to have the same judgmental protectiveness of his brother that Sans- um… Axe, did. 

“So, what are we watching?” She asked. 

“I HAVEN’T DECIDED, YET… I THOUGHT MAYBE I SHOULD ASK FOR YOUR THOUGHTS, BUT THEN I THOUGHT MAYBE I SHOULD PICK IT OUT TO SHOW OFF MY TASTE- I EVEN THOUGHT OF HAVING MY BROTHER PICK IT OUT SO THAT IT WAS A NEUTRAL PARTY, BUT… I DIDN’T END UP WITH ANYTHING DEFINITIVE…” Blue admitted.

“Oh, well… what’s your favorite genre of movie?” She asked. 

“SUPERHEROS AND SCIENCE FICTION!!” Blue exclaimed excitedly. 

“Ooo, nice!” She agreed with a nod. “What about you, Stretch?” 

He just shrugged. 

“HE LIKES TERRIBLE B- MOVIES, BUT ALSO COMEDIES AND THINGS, LIKE YOUR HIGHNESS AND YEAR ONE,” Blue supplied. 

“So bad movies and smart silliness huh? Nice,” (Y/n) bobbed her head thoughtfully. 

“WHAT ABOUT YOU, (Y/N)?” Blue asked. 

“I like all sorts,” she answered truthfully. “Funny ones, romantic ones, sci fi- anything, really, as long as they have a good plot.” 

“you should pick a scary movie,” Stretch told his brother. 

Blue looked at him in question, then seemed to understand what he meant. “OH, YES! IS THAT OK, (Y/N)?” He asked. 

(Y/n) thought for a moment on how she usually reacted to horror movies, and shrugged. “Sure, fine with me.” 

“YOU PICK IT, PAPPY,” Blue requested. 

Stretch meandered into the living room again and Blue handed her her plate, hurrying to fix his own. 

When the two brothers had their finished nachos in hand, Blue started the movie. 

It wasn’t too bad, not really scary, but (Y/n) and Blue were both starting to forgo their food as it unfolded the disturbing parts, their plates ending up on the ground. 

(Y/n) squealed quietly, her face showing her distrust for the actions some of the characters were taking. 

Then a really disturbing scene came up. 

She was handling it well at first, but it was something that aligned with her own issues, and she shuddered. “Oh, no- no, no,” she muttered to herself, handling it the best she could. The scene intensified and she squeaked in horror, “oh f _uck_ no!” 

(Y/n) all but dove into Blue’s side, and he wrapped his arms around her, though he was also disturbed. He didn’t last much longer, yelping out, “PAPPY!” as his arms tightened around (Y/n) to protect her. 

Stretch looked away from the screen, seeing the two and a smirk twisted the corner of his teeth before his eyes shifted to the screen again. 

His brother was pressed into him, but it was a sudden tug on his hoodie that made Stretch look back down. 

Blue was holding his date close, and she had her face mostly buried in his side, while he was leaning into Stretch, but her hand had snuck out, grabbing onto the front of his hoodie when Blue had called his name, as though adding her plea for protection. 

Stretch looked up to the ceiling, hesitated before he rolled his eyes, then pulled them both closer, Blue ending up basically in his lap, and the human at his side, still clinging to his brother. 

(Y/n) pressed her hip against Stretch, her face buried in Blue’s chest, one hand clinging to Stretch’s hoodie, the other hanging onto Blue’s shirt, or bandana, she couldn’t tell. 

Another awful part showed on the screen and she let out a yelp before ducking closer. Blue also yelped, calling for his brother again, a bit more insistent and scolding, this time, though it just caused a chuckle. 

“PAPPY! STOP IT! CAN’T YOU SEE IT’S UPSETTING (Y/N)?!” 

“Yeah, Stretch, save us!” (Y/n) called through their clothes. 

Stretch chuckled and wrapped his arms around them. “don’t be so afraid, that part’s over.” 

“THE MAGNIFICENT BLUEBERRY ISN’T AFRAID, IT’S JUST GROSS!” Blue objected. “VERY, VERY GROSS!” 

"Me either!" (Y/n) agreed. "But that is _definitely not_ something you watch while you're eating!" 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I usually say that I've posted a chapter of my other story, but I've been spending the whole last week getting work ready for me to leave (a bunch of noobs for staff, and one of them got into a car crash and broke her arm, so were all scrambling for coverage- she's healing nicely, though!) 
> 
> Another reason I didn't get it done was that I was working really hard on finishing this [comic](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/627112677188222976/so-from-the-moment-i-wrote-this-scene-i-pictured). It's a little scene from this chapter, so I wanted it to come out at the same time. It only took me about 40 hours to draw and put together! Uuugh... If I could actually draw (instead of layer and shit like I did) it would have gone faster... lol
> 
> Also- [fanart](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/626844268333613056/bu7itrefused-sooooooo-i-had-a-reason-to-use-my)! 💓
> 
> If you want to send me stuff (like asks or whatever), you can do so on [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!  
> 


	15. There are MORE skeletons?!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Classic convinces Reader to go to an interview. Puns. Oh- and a wild Mutt appears! For a moment, anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oooooooooooh gods, my face... *flops over* They had to take a chunk of bone... and I have to talk a lot at work. Luckily I can take my ice pack to work. Just need some skeleboys to feel better... some nice skeleboy cuddles...

_Ba-doo!_

The default message tone let (Y/n) know that the message she'd just gotten was from one of her new skele-friends, since she hadn't gotten around to customizing their notifications, yet. 

**_Classy:_ ** _hey. so did you think about taking the job?_

Classy? (Y/n) puzzled over who that could be for a moment before she realized and rolled her eyes in irritation. 

Goddamn autocorrect strikes again. 

**_Me:_ ** _Hey. I didn't really get enough details about the job, so not really._

There, that should give her refusal while not being too harsh. 

**_Classy:_ ** _you didn't find the ad? i thought you were looking._

His message was nearly immediately followed by another that contained a link to a job ad. 

She looked it over, expecting it to be an obvious fake, but she couldn't find anything weird about it, and it had been posted about a week before… 

Hmmmm… 

But she couldn't find anything wrong with it. 

**_Me:_ ** _It looks like a good job. What does it pay? It just says to be discussed._

**_Classy:_ ** _it has to be discussed lol. are you interested in it? i could set up an interview._

**_Me:_ ** _Interview? I thought you already offered me the job._

It took longer to get a reply this time. 

**_Classy:_ ** _hey, if i was in charge you'd have it, kid. i'm only one of the owners, though, so you'll have to meet and impress the others, too._

(Y/n) studied his answer. What it said made sense, but… 

How could he have amazing punctuation, great grammar and spelling, and yet-! 

All of his letters were lowercase! How did that even happen; keyboards had auto capitalize! 

He _had_ to be doing it on purpose! 

**_Me:_ ** _Got any tips or pointers for me on how to do that?_

His response was nearly instant this time. 

**_Classy:_ ** _i find that most of my tips are pointy._

She reread the message and hers before she huffed a laugh. 

Oh, this boy had jokes, huh? 

(Y/n) wondered if they were as dark as Sans'. 

She decided to stay on the safe, non serial killer side of humor, and it took her a moment, but then she sent her reply with a small grin. 

**_Me:_ ** _Isn't that the -point- of a tip?_

Sans felt his jaw move into a smile. 

This woman… 

She might just be worth keeping around. 

**_Classy:_ ** _i hate to -point- this out to you, kid, but if you're trying to start some sort of witty battle, this is only the -tip- of the iceberg that you'll face._

It took a moment, but then her reply came. 

**_Her:_ ** _You're acting like I've already -sunk- before it even begins! But I might be able to -tip- the odds in my favor._

Sans started laughing. Oh, stars, a twofer! Three if you counted just using the word 'tip' again.

He quickly went through a search and sent her a meme of Effie wishing the odds be ever in her favor. 

A moment later a gif of Katniss saluting appeared on his screen. 

He typed out his message, wondering if it were possible to force someone to take a job. 

**_Classy:_ ** _so… if i set up that interview… you gonna be there or do i have -tip- put in on your behalf?_

(Y/n) bit her lip considering. 

Even if it didn't pay much, it was a live in position, so she'd have _some_ kind of income, and a place to stay that -hopefully- wouldn't be so cold she could see her breath, plus, she'd be out here by a bunch of new friends! Much better than sleeping on the side of the road any day. She'd also get to hang out with Papyrus more, which she'd always count as a positive with that sweetheart of a skeleton. 

And if she didn't like it, she could always use it to build up funds to move. 

**_Her:_ ** _Yeah, ok. When are you planning?_

"hey, paps?" Sans called out. 

"YES, BROTHER?" Came the reply from the next room. 

"how fast d'you think we can get a family meeting set up?" He asked. 

. 

Three hours. 

That's all the time she'd been given. 

She didn't even have time to message Papyrus and ask if she could borrow their shower really quick. Even if Sans was still being weird. 

She took a big bucket of soapy water and a wash rag to herself the best she could, but she couldn't get her hair. 

She did the best she could, and pulled out some nice looking clothes to get dressed in. 

One of those nice looking, longer tank tops that almost looked like a mini dress over a pair of leggings with a less casual looking jacket would have to do. 

The only problem, really, was shoes. 

If she was going to have to hike around in the woods to get where they were going, she didn't want to wear anything with a heel, or that would make her trip herself, or that would let a rock or a stick in to stab her foot. 

And she'd already pretty much torn the place apart looking for the clothes, so wherever her shoes were… she wasn't quite sure. 

Her choices were pretty limited; the couple pairs of shoes that hadn't gotten packed up before she'd left. Flip flops were not going to be a good idea. Her regular shoes might not be dressy, but at least they'd protect her feet from being destroyed by the rocks and bark that was out there… 

**_Sweet Bun:_ ** _I Heard That You Are Going To Have An Interview At The Lodge For The Position Classic Mentioned! I'm Excited For You! I Know You'll Get It, Classic Is Many Things; Lazy, Slow, A Cesspool Of Terrible Puns. But He's Not Stupid. Hugs For Luck!_

Darn it, Papyrus, why do you have to make my heart feel like this? You darn sweet cinnamon bun! (Y/n) thought to herself before responding. 

**_Me:_ ** _Hugs returned! Thank you Papyrus, you're the sweetest!_

A moment later she got another message and she was surprised to see it was one of her old coworkers. 

It was something concerning a change for a client, and she decided that they had just forgotten to take her off the mass text list, so she reminded them, excited as another message came in. 

And then another.

And then another.

Poor Papyrus, she must have flustered him. 

**_Sweet Bun:_ ** _You Can Call Me Bun, If You Want To._

**_Sweet Bun:_ ** _Since There May Be More Than One Papyrus In A Conversation, Now._

**_Sweet Bun:_ ** _Only If You Want To._

**_Sweet Bun:_ ** _That Way You'll Be Able To Keep It Straight And Won't Get Confused._

Another message popped up on the screen as she was reading his previous ones, and she smiled at how cute he was when he was flustered. 

**_Sweet Bun:_ ** _But I'd Prefer If It Was Just You That Used That Name, For Now._

**_Me:_ ** _Ok, Bun, no problem._

She could almost see how his face would flush a burnt orange at that. 

He really was just too cute for his own good, huge, scary skeleton or not. 

(Y/n) was reminded of a couple of calls that she had to make, but checked the time and decided to wait, knowing that Classic had said he'd be down to walk her soon. 

Just as she was thinking that, there was a knock on the door. 

She opened it to see a trio of skeletons. 

"Um, hi, guys," she greeted with a smile, and uncertainty. 

"HI, (Y/N)! WE CAME TO WALK YOU UP TO THE LODGE!" Blue declared, looking as excited and energetic as ever, and she had to remind herself that he was the same age as Papyrus- er, uh… Bun. 

Stretch tilted his head in greeting, a mandarin orange tongue toying with the sucker in his teeth. 

Classic, on the other hand, stood a bit to the side, giving her a friendly, but neutral smile. 

(Y/n) almost laughed, thinking that the sight was like a laziness sandwich with Stretch and Classic on the ends looking relaxed and Blue in the middle looking energetic. 

(Y/n) climbed from the camper and closed the door. "Sounds like fun, Blue." 

They started off, Blue on one side, Stretch on the other, and Classic trailing behind a bit to bring up the rear. 

"I HAD FUN THE OTHER NIGHT- I HOPE WE CAN DO IT AGAIN SOON!" Blue told her. 

“Um, sure! That sounds fun. H-how about we cook together next time?” She suggested. 

Stretch gave her a side eye, silently letting her know that he knew what she was doing, and it seemed to contain some measure of warning. 

Classic was eyeing her in interest at how she was going to handle this situation. 

“YOU DON’T LIKE MY COOKING?” Blue asked with heartbroken eyelights. 

“That’s not what I meant!” She rushed to assure. “I just love cooking, too, and thought it would be fun to do it together, and then we can enjoy the movie together, too!”

"WOWZERS! I DIDN'T THINK OF THAT! YOU'RE VERY SMART, YOU WILL MAKE A WONDERFUL DATEMATE, (Y/N)!" Blue happily told her. 

Stretch seemed appeased, and Classic seemed to be amused with how it had turned out. 

(Y/n) gave Blue a smile as they walked through the woods, leaving the road and going along a trail since it was faster, supposedly. 

"don't have to curve around the entire campground this way," Classic informed her. 

The trees were closer together here, leaving barely enough room for three across the path, and (Y/n) found that she was backed into Stretch's space a bit from his brother's expressive gestures. 

Thankfully, he didn't seem to mind. 

Blue was busy talking about the different kinds of foods that he liked and would like to make, but Stretch reacted to something, and, being so close, (Y/n) noticed the small movement that he made to look over his shoulder. 

(Y/n) turned and looked, but didn’t see anything. 

Her eyes started searching for anything in the trees around them, but she still didn’t see anything. 

At a small, irritated noise, she turned back to see which of the other skeletons had made it, swearing that it was Classic, though his face looked completely neutral. 

That’s when she saw them- 

_Another_ skeleton. This one tall, a few inches taller than Stretch’s slouched form, wearing a brown, almost black, hooded jacket with fur trim zipped up to just under his chin where a spiked collar was visible, and loose, dark jeans tucked into his boots. 

(Y/n) remembered it being mentioned that Classic had a brother, but the way he didn’t seem to acknowledge this skeleton, it didn’t seem likely that it would be him, not to mention that with how rough the sharp toothed skeleton looked led to the thought that ‘Creampuff’ would have had to be an ironic nickname. 

The skeleton drifted closer, somehow not tripping despite not looking where he was going, hands stuffed in his pockets and attention on her, getting just out of reach on the other side of the treeline while inspecting (Y/n) with his dark amber eyelights, a golden fang gleaming in his jaw. 

Stretch gave a soft, “hey,” only to get a soft grunt in response, but neither seemed bothered by the other, so they just continued to walk. 

“Um, hi,” (Y/n) tried to greet the new skeleton. “My name is (Y/n).” 

He didn’t answer or comment. 

“What’s your name?” She asked, trying again. 

He still didn’t make any attempt to answer. 

(Y/n) felt a bit weirded out, being studied intently by this skeleton as she walked through the woods. 

“walkin’ a patrol?” Stretch asked lazily. 

The skeleton made a positive noise. 

Stretch made a noise back. 

Blue had stopped talking, looking a bit hesitant and focusing his gaze away from the new skeleton. 

Was there something about this skeleton that made them nervous? 

They continued through the woods with their escort, until he decided to peel off from their group and disappear back into the trees for no apparent reason. 

A moment after that, what (Y/n) could only imagine was the lodge came into view. 

It was a large building, made out of logs like the cabins were, two stories high with big, picturesque windows on the bottom floor and smaller windows on the top floor. 

Through one of the huge windows, (Y/n) could see a pool table and a large fireplace made of stone. 

“hey,” a gruff voice greeted the group, and (Y/n) looked over to see, Red, she thought she remembered his name was. 

“hey,” Classic and Stretch greeted laxly from her side. 

“HI, RED!” Blue greeted, and (Y/n) was glad to know that she’d gotten it right. 

“heard it was a bad one for ya,” Classic commented as the tired looking skeleton joined them in the front of the lodge. 

“yeah,” he grumbled, then let his red eyelights drift over to (Y/n). “hey, doll. hope ya were ok while i was gone,” he told her with an exhausted smirk. 

(Y/n) took pity on him, but only because he looked like he was trying to be flirty, but was so dead tired that it wasn’t coming out right. 

“I did alright,” she answered.

"hey, kid, why don't you go ahead and head in? i have somethin' i have to talk to these _bone_ heads about," Classic offered. 

"Sure," she agreed, going to the door and finding it open when she tried. 

There was a closet to the right, a wooden bench to sit on as you got your shoes or boots on and off, with a shoe rack built in under it, and another shoe rack next to the door. 

Through the little entryway was an open space, and as she got closer, (Y/n) saw on the right the large, open room with the pool table in the corner and the fireplace on the outside wall, a couple of comfy looking couches and chairs to give enough space to seat the large number of people that it was built to hold, and a tv mounted on the wall across from the window. 

To the left, there was less space, but it held a large table, a standing cupboard that was currently closed, a bar, complete with assumably everything you'd need to mix drinks, and, setting snacks out on the bar, yet _another_ skeleton. 

This one was tall, about the same height as the one that had escorted them, though his boots were tall, dark red, and fashionable instead of the calf high, dark brown, and work worn of the other's. He also had black pants tucked into them, though his were tight to him instead of loose, and you could see a bit of his spine where his black shirt was short enough to leave a bit exposed over where his pants were clinging to his pelvis. 

He let out a sigh and turned to survey what had been set out, only to see (Y/n) in the doorway.

Surprise flooded his skull, his scarred eye socket wide to match the other with his crimson eyelights a bit small. 

He was quick to rearrange his expression, his brow bones dipping down into a scowl and his sharp teeth twisting with a sneer. 

"WHO ARE YOU?!" He demanded in a scratchy, high voice.

If he didn't have that harsh, hateful tone in his voice, he might sound a bit like Papyr- Bun. 

He _definitely_ lacked any of his warmth, though. In fact, he kind of looked like Red; same, though a different shade, red eyelights, sharp teeth, sense of dress… 

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" He demanded. 

(Y/n) was at a loss for words, floundering for what to say. Didn't he know there was an interview? She looked at the bar and took in how it was set up. 

It actually kinda looked like he was expecting a party… 

If Classic and the others hadn't walked her up here, she'd think she was in the wrong place. 

She had gotten ahold of her tongue and was just about to explain when he interrupted her.

"NEVER MIND, NO NEED TO SPEAK- YOU ARE _OBVIOUSLY_ ONE OF MY MANY ADMIRERS!" He declared, his hands going to his hips and his ribs puffing out. 

Wow… look at the confidence on this guy. 

Very off putting when she was just trying to get a job, and it made her a bit nervous to work here if they were going to be constantly sexually harassing her… 

"I AM VERY FLATTERED, BUT BREAKING INTO MY HOUSE IS _NO WAY_ TO GARNER MY ATTENTION, HUMAN!" He told her, looking away in dismissal, but keeping his eyelights on her. 

Wait… _He_ was refusing _her_? 

When she hadn't even _hinted_ that she was interested?

Oh… 

Oh gosh… 

(Y/n) held back her laughter. 

There was a thundering from the part of the lodge down a hall opposite the entrance. 

"EDGE, HAVE YOU FINISHED PUTTING THE FOOD OUT?" _Another freaking skeleton_ asked as he made his way into the room. 

He had on a nice looking pair of blue jeans tucked into a pair of work boots, and a soft looking, light colored sweater, which highlighted how kind he looked. 

"Bun?" It slipped softly from her mouth in surprise. 

If he wasn't almost the same height as the skeleton already in the room, Edge, she'd caught, she'd think it might have been a younger version of Papyrus. 

In fact, even with the shorter stature, and the confidence, he still reminded her of him. 

"OH! HUMAN! YOU'RE HERE! IT'S NICE TO MEET YOU!" The new skeleton greeted. 

"Creampuff," (Y/n) greeted with a smile, reaching out her hand to shake his. There was no doubt in her mind that this was Creampuff. 

Even if her mind was a bit confused and wanted to act like he was her original Papyrus. 

Edge looked a bit offended, and she briefly wondered what didn't offend him, but she didn't have long to wonder, as Creampuff took her hand and pulled her into a hug, spinning her around before setting her on the ground. 

"OF COURSE YOU'VE HEARD OF ME! WHAT A CULTURED HUMAN YOU ARE!" His skull was turned in one of the sweetest smiles she'd ever seen, and the feeling that this was her Papyrus hit her again as the room seemed to brighten from his smile. 

It was contagious, too, making her face turn up in a grin. 

"OH I'M SORRY, I FORGOT THE COOKIES!" Creampuff told her, just as quickly turning away from her and hurrying back through the short hall to, where the kitchen was, she supposed. 

Edge huffed. "I ALREADY GOT THE COOKIES OUT," he told Creampuff as he turned to follow him. 

(Y/n) could hear them all the way where she was as they spoke about the cookies, and her smile fell to a bit more natural smile before drifting away completely as a darkness seemed to fall over the lodge. 

Did clouds cover the sun? She looked toward the window to check.

The heavy door burst open, hitting the wall next to it with a thud and rattle as the room seemed to dim, the lights in the room outshined by the sun streaming through the opening, highlighting the tall shadow filling the doorway. 

The shadow got closer, looming over to her. 

Despite moving slowly, there were quick footsteps that came toward her. 

"I _DEMAND_ TO MEET THE HUMAN!!" A gravelly, harsh voice decreed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _MEANWHILE, while the others are arriving at the lodge_  
>  Black: *ignoring the message about a meeting he received a few hours ago*  
> Mutt: *returns and looks over to see Black scrolling through his phone* m'lord... the others're escortin' a human female on their way ta the lodge.  
> Black: A- A HUMAN FEMALE- GOING TO THE LODGE?! WHAT DO THEY THINK THEY'RE DOING BRINGING A WOMAN HERE WITHOUT NOTIFYING ME?!  
> Mutt: maybe it has somethin' ta do with that message about a meetin' we got earlier.  
> Black: DON'T BE STUPID, MUTT- NOW COME ON- IF THEY THINK THEY CAN KEEP ME FROM MEETING THE HUMAN, THEY HAVE ANOTHER THINK COMING!  
> Mutt: *amused scoff* yes, m'lord.
> 
> Also, the whole Edge meeting is thanks to my guy, he had that idea and it was great, so I put it in!
> 
> I now have proof that I'm not loopy on the meds; I was giving my friend (accurate) directions on how to get home. Also, they had my phone so it didn't fall out of my pocket, I asked where it was, then as we got to the door I asked again and laughed, saying I felt like Axe and explained the whole thing of him getting brained and asking who the fuck took his phone... Also as I was waking up I was "talking incoherently to myself, giggled, and then yelled at myself for giggling." I remember exactly what was going through my mind, but instead of explaining, it was pretty much like this;  
> https://www.deviantart.com/locomotive111/art/Wisdom-Teeth-583953343
> 
> I also have another chapter of my [other story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/24584485) out today!  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	16. The interview

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What is up with all these skeletons acting either possessive, rude, or way too neutral?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, I can't believe that this story has almost 11500 hits! Ah! 💖😍 I love all of your comments, and appreciate all the kudos and bookmarks!  
> I actually wanted to get this out earlier, but, then... I have had one _hell_ of a fucking day.  
> And then something happened that wouldn't let the chapter save or post! You could have had this yesterday, if only it had worked!  
> But this isn't the forum for venting... I'll do that... maybe on tumblr... no one wants to hear me whining, though lol.
> 
> *big amazed watery eyes* I got more fanart, it's linked at the bottom!

As her eyes adjusted to the light, (Y/n) saw the tall figure of the skeleton who’d escorted her and the rest to the lodge. 

But the loud voice wasn’t coming from him, it was coming from the shorter sharp toothed skeleton in front of him that she was only able to see now that her eyes had adjusted. 

He marched over to her, the long ties of his dark burgundy bandana fluttering a little behind him like a cape as he stomped over to her, his tall, heeled, matching boots thunking on the wooden floor as he stopped a few feet away from her. 

His critical violet eyelights moved over her, arms folded over his black shirt covered chest. 

"THIS IS THE HUMAN YOU SPOKE OF, MUTT?" The shorter skeleton demanded. 

The taller skeleton nodded with a murmured, "yes, m'lord." 

"WELL, SHE'S HARDLY ANYTHING TO LOOK AT," the shorter one commented. 

"Ex- _cuse_ me?!" (Y/n) demanded in shock. "Who taught you your manners, because they're lacking- and I'd like to _teach you_ some more," she growled under her breath, her hand clenching into the fist she'd use to 'teach' him. 

"SILENCE, HUMAN! YOUR WORDS ARE NOT NECESSARY! I, THE MALEFICENT BLACKBERRY, WILL DECIDE IF YOU'RE WORTHY OF SPEAKING TO ME FIRST!" He declared, his hands going to his black jean covered hips. 

"Oh, you pompous little ass hat-" (Y/n) muttered as her fist clenched harder, feeling it lift and resisting the urge to swing. 

"INSOLENT HUMAN! HOW DARE YOU-?! MUTT!" He turned to the taller skeleton, who was simply watching the interaction with an amused smirk, one hand flying up to jab in her direction, as though he were siccing an attack dog on her. 

'Mutt', that could _not_ be his real name, strolled toward her as Blackberry folded his arms with a smug look. 

(Y/n) checked her surroundings, making sure she wasn't cornered, he didn't have any weapons handy, and preparing herself in case she had to do a hold. 

"hey, darlin'," Mutt drawled, "no need ta be nervous. but, i should warn ya, m'lord doesn't like ta be disrespected." 

"Then he should remember that people are likely to treat you the way you treat them, which means that if you don't want to be treated like trash, you shouldn't _act_ like trash," she sent a pointed look at the shorter skeleton to see him gritting his sharp teeth, hands fisted at his sides angrily. 

The taller skeleton was suddenly in front of her, blocking her view, and she looked up to him, startled. 

His hand left his pocket and the phalanges poking out of his fingerless glove lifted to cradle her chin, keeping her looking at him as his skull lowered closer to her face, grinning. 

"mmm, i like _you_ , darlin'," he told her softly in a deeper, gruff voice. 

"Uh…" (Y/n) stared back up at him, taking a step back as a feeling of discomfort grew at his near silent come on. 

_"down, mutt,"_ a harsh voice ordered from the door and (Y/n) recognized Red's accent. 

Mutt's grin deepened as he stepped back with a chuckle. Somehow he made it seem like it was _his_ idea to back off. 

Still, (Y/n) was glad the others had filed inside. 

“SA- RED!! DO YOU SEE WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU SLACK OFF ON DOING YOUR ROUNDS?! A _HUMAN_ MANAGED TO GET PAST _ALL_ OF YOU AND INTO THE LODGE! YOU SHOULD _ALL_ BE ASHAMED OF YOURSELVES!” Edge yelled as he and Creampuff came back into the main room with a tray of cookies. 

“(Y/N), COME SIT BY ME!” Blue exclaimed, tugging her arm as he pulled her over to the couches. 

“relax, edge, she came up here with us; she’s invited,” Classic told him. 

“DON’T IGNORE ME, HUMAN,” Blackberry demanded after her. 

She was glad that Blue was pulling her away from the clusterfuck that seemed to be starting over there. 

Red felt a low growl rumble in his throat as he watched Blue taking (Y/n) over to the couches, securing his place next to her on the one under the window. 

Manipulative little prick. 

He started toward them to claim the other side, but his brother yelled out a demand that he explained himself. 

“can’t believe ya forgot to tell your bro,” Stretch commented. 

Red growled again, this time at Stretch. He was trying to subtly look over at where Blue and (Y/n) were getting comfortable on a couch, not wanting to give the others the idea to go steal his spot. 

“it was a fuckin’ deusy of a heat, what can i say? boss, i jus' felt good ‘nough ta leave th’ house this mornin’. ‘m sorry i didn’t get a fuckin’ chance ta tell ya,” Red grumbled. 

“HUMAN, I AM NOT DONE TALKING TO YOU! GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT, YOU-” 

Black’s voice was getting on his nerves. 

“knock it off, ya fuckin’ pissy lil tyrant brat,” Red snapped. “leave ‘er alone, or imma teach ya th' manners yer dog shoulda.” 

Mutt stepped closer behind Black, his expression lacking some of the amusement it usually held. In fact, it was downright intimidating. 

Red turned and started toward the couches, dismissing them with a flip of his middle finger over his shoulder. 

“THAT’S AMAZING THAT YOU WORKED AT A CAFE,” Blue smiled at her. “IT’S TOO BAD THEY HAD TO LET YOU GO. DID YOU COOK ANYTHING LIKE TACOS OR ENCHILADAS THERE?” 

“No,” (Y/n) answered, “mostly breakfast food and sandwiches for lunch, but also we were a bakery, so there was a lot of baking. We actually made the bread for the sandwiches, too.” 

The couch cushion on the other side of her dipped as someone joined them and Blue’s expression turned irritated. 

(Y/n) turned to see Red sitting next to her with his tired smirk on display. 

“hey, doll.” 

“THAT’S MY BROTHER’S SPOT,” Blue complained. 

“wasn’t anyone sittin’ here,” Red brushed him off. 

“I WAS SAVING IT FOR HIM,” Blue protested back. 

“i didn’t hear ya say anything about it,” Red argued. 

“I- IT DOESN’T MATTER-” Blue started, but (Y/n) put a hand on his arm. 

“You’re right, Blue, it doesn’t matter. I’m sure that Stretch can find another seat,” she gestured around at the plethora of seating possibilities. 

Blue pouted a bit, but Red seemed smug. 

“so, doll, i ain’t really gotten th’ chance ta get ta know ya, yet, ‘n i was wonderin’-” 

“I’M JUST SAYING THAT I THINK WE _ALL_ SHOULD HAVE BEEN INFORMED,” Edge grouchily told the others as the rest of the skeletons made their way to the sitting area. 

Red glared grumpily at his brother for interrupting his conversation. 

Blackberry sat in one of the chairs on either side of the other couch, facing (Y/n), arms folded and legs crossed at the patella, looking quite regal, while Mutt stood behind him, looking a bit like an amused butler waiting for a command. Edge sat in a chair on the other side of the set up from Blackberry, but looking strikingly similar with an almost identical pose. Stretch and Creampuff took spots on the other couch, almost polar opposites with Stretch laying back and Creampuff sitting at the edge of his seat. 

“so,” Sans started from where he stood, leaning against the side of the couch, waiting for everyone to look at him. “recently, i started thinking about hiring someone to help out, uh, with, stuff around here- like, mostly the lodge and keeping things in order since we’re all so busy… maybe… cooking or shopping or whatever… um, and (y/n) was looking for a job and is here to apply. i didn’t wanna just hire someone who would be around all our living spaces without putting it to everyone, especially since she would be staying here at the lodge. hence the interview.” 

The gathered group all looked at her, making nervousness rise in her belly. It was a weird thing to be stared at by eight skeletons, and a situation she’d never in her life thought she’d be in the middle of. 

Mutt was giving her flirty looks over the back of his brother’s chair, and Blackberry was staring at her with an amused and scheming look, while Edge looked nearly hostile. She felt a bit calmer when she looked over at Creampuff to see his huge, friendly smile, and Stretch, who she knew to be pretty chill, Blue was comfortingly holding her hand tightly with a huge friendly smile, too. She looked over to Red, nervous about what she’d find in his expression, but he seemed pretty laid back, though she could positively feel the flirtiness radiating off of him. 

Classic looked relaxed, just hanging out and leading the meeting, but met her eyes when she looked at him. “(y/n), i know that you hate the nickname, but for the sake of differentiation, i’ll have to use it, unless there’s another?” 

(Y/n) bit her lip, thinking how Papyrus only wanted her to call him Bun. She did hate them calling him by a name that hurt him, but she didn’t want to betray him by telling them to call him bun. “Not yet,” she answered with a sigh. 

Classic nodded, then addressed the whole room. “crooks already sent his and axe’s votes; they are both for her to get the job. um... i guess if there are any questions, now would be the time to ask them.” 

“HAVE YOU EVER BEEN A PET BEFORE,” Blackberry asked with a devious smirk. 

“Uh- No,” (Y/n) answered firmly. 

Blue and Red both glared at him. 

“WHAT QUALIFICATIONS DO YOU HAVE THAT MAKE YOU THINK YOU’D BE DESERVING OF THIS JOB?” Edge demanded with a glare. 

“Um… well, I’ve baked and cooked at a cafe, and my other last job was with mentally handicapped people; I took care of people for a living, including cooking and cleaning…” She offered. She wasn’t trying to sell herself too much, since she wasn’t sure if she really wanted the job with how these skeletons were acting. 

“SHE’S A HARD WORKER,” Blue put in, “SHE WAS WORKING THOSE TWO JOBS AT THE SAME TIME!” 

Red would have normally commented about having something _hard_ for her to _work_ on, but he was trying not to come on too strong. Something about the way his soul felt in his rib cage when he was around her told him that she was important, and he didn’t want to scare her off before he had a chance to figure out what it was. 

“THAT IS GREAT DEDICATION, HUMAN!” Creampuff told her with a smile. 

“Thanks,” she smiled back at him, deciding that he was too much like Bun to not be related, and now that she could see them ‘relaxing’ in similar chairs, Edge and Blackberry seemed insanely similar in manerizm… at the moment, anyway. 

“YOU’RE NOT GOING TO HAVE A SECOND JOB WHILE YOU’RE HERE,” Blackberry commented. 

(Y/n) wasn’t quite sure if he was telling her or asking, so she answered anyway. “Depends, if I needed more income, I’d have to get a second job.” 

“NO. I’M TELLING YOU; YOU AREN’T GOING TO HAVE A SECOND JOB WHILE YOU’RE HERE. I WILL NEED YOU TO BE AVAILABLE TO ME WHENEVER I CALL FOR YOU,” Blackberry corrected her. 

“black, she’s going to have time off,” Classic told him. 

“she don’t have ta be at yer beck an’ call,” Red growled at him. 

Blue wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his chest. “BLACK, DON’T BE SELFISH! SHE DOESN’T WORK FOR JUST YOU!” 

“Um, I don’t work for any of you,” (Y/n) pointed out. 

“OH, I MEANT WHEN YOU TAKE THE JOB,” Blue corrected himself with a grin, letting her pull away from him. 

Of course, her back was to Red, who took advantage by wrapping his arm around her shoulders and tucking her against his side under his arm. “don’t worry, doll, i ain’t gonna let ‘em pull nothin’ on ya.” 

“Um… th-anks…” She told him, pulling out of his grip. 

God _damn_ these skeletons were horny. 

“I APOLOGIZE FOR THESE UNCOUTH MONSTERS, (Y/N),” Creampuff told her, a nervousness clear in his demeanor. “I WOULD NEVER LET THEM DO ANYTHING YOU DIDN’T AGREE TO, YOU HAVE MY WORD!” 

(Y/n) smiled at him. “Thanks, Creampuff. That’s very sweet of you.” 

He grinned back, looking embarrassed and his cheeks colored orange. 

He looked so much like Bun it was making her crazy! 

“hey, i a’ready said that,” Red complained. 

“Yeah, but you’re one of the ones I’d be worried about trying something,” (Y/n) told him. 

Red lifted a brow, tilting his head in acceptance. “fair,” he wrapped his arm around her shoulders and leaned in a bit, suggestively telling her, “but i ain’t gonna do nothin’ ya ain’t beggin’ fer.” 

She felt her flustered state becoming obvious in her expression. 

He looked like he was about to use a suggestive line, so (Y/n) took the chance to pull out from under his arm, going to stand. 

Blue felt a minor zing of panic hit him and he wrapped his arms around her, not necessarily _meaning_ to pull her into his lap, but that’s where she ended up, and he wasn’t complaining. Or letting up on his hold. 

“PLEASE, (Y/N), DON’T LET THAT PERVERT RUIN YOUR MOOD,” Blue told her. 

“pervert?! y’re th’ one holdin’ her on yer lap! let ‘er go!” Red demanded, getting irritated. 

(Y/n) tried to pry herself out of Blue’s arms, but he was too strong for her. She suddenly remembered him telling Stretch that he wanted her like some kind of toy and felt the same discomfort that had struck her then pooling in her belly. “Blue-” she complained, still pulling at his hands. 

“BLUE,” Creampuff chided, attempting to stop him as an outside force. 

“BLUE, LET GO OF MY HUMAN RIGHT THIS MOMENT!” Blackberry demanded, leaping out of his chair. “YOU’RE GETTING HER DIRTY!” 

Red glared at Blue and started to pull him off. "ya can't jus' go 'round grabbin' women, blue!" 

Stretch moved to them, giving a soft, warning, "bro…"

Red and Stretch managed to get Blue to let go, and (Y/n) leapt out of his reach. 

She straightened up, glaring directly at Blackberry. “I am _not_ your human. I’m not _any_ of yours human! _If_ I was _anybody’s_ human, it’d be Papyrus!” 

Mutt grinned at her, sending a smouldering look. “aww, that’s real sweet, sugar.” 

“Not you!” She told him with a jab of her finger before pointing at Stretch, “or you! Or you- though you do remind me so much of Bun it’s driving me nuts,” she told Creampuff. 

“BUN?” He asked in confusion. 

“AXE’S BROTHER,” Blue told him, now calm enough that Red and Stretch let him go. 

Blackberry was incensed. “YOU’D CHOOSE THAT CROOKED FREAK OVER ME?!” 

“m’lord,” Mutt chided, stepping in to tell him he was going too far, but he didn’t get a chance. 

“I’d choose a _leech_ over you!” (Y/n) declared, her anger going from three to ten in a split second as he insulted Bun. “Don’t you _ever fucking dare_ say that again! You don’t deserve to say his name!” She was stalking closer now, staying back a safe distance and looking the inch down at him. “You’re lucky he’s so sweet and wouldn’t want me to punch you in your stupid, pompus face! Otherwise you’d be laid out on the floor right now!” 

Feeling her rage starting to ebb now that some had been let off, she spun around and stormed off down the hall to where the kitchen was on one side and a full dining table set up on the other next to a set of stairs. 

She just needed to calm down and take a breath so things didn't escalate further. She never had enough anger to last a whole fight unless she had to keep fighting to get her task, usually protecting someone in some way, accomplished.

Blackberry just stood there, his entire skull flushed burgundy, his eye sockets wide and jaw dropped slightly. 

“m’lord,” Mutt murmured above him. 

“S-She’s Out Of Line,” Blackberry muttered. 

“you were stepping a little out of bounds, m’lord.” 

Blackberry just grunted passively as he looked away. 

(Y/n) leaned against the counter that obviously doubled as a breakfast bar by the stools underneath it, looking out the window on the door to her right, across from the hall. 

Creampuff came in and stood near her. “I’m Sorry It Got Out Of Hand Like That, (Y/n)... Blue Is USUALLY Very Reasonable… Red… Can Be A Bit… FLIRTY, But… They Were Both In The Wrong- AND AFTER I’D JUST TOLD YOU I’D PROTECT YOU, TOO!” He almost wailed. “I’M SO SORRY, (Y/N)!” 

Oh gosh, he was so sweet… with his honest distress for her wellbeing, he reminded her of Bun too much to be mad at him. 

“It’s ok, Pap- Creampuff,” she told him. 

He looked down at her in shock. “YOU- You Know My Name?” He asked. 

She felt bad since she'd actually been calling him Bun's name, but she did know, or at least had figured, that his name was Papyrus, so she nodded. “I also understand the need for nicknames with so many of you… um… being ‘Papyrus’... did your family run out of names or something?” 

He smiled down at her. “YOU’RE A WONDERFUL HUMAN,” he told her, wrapping her up in a hug, effectively distracting from the fact that he hadn't even tried to make it seem like he was going to answer her question. He quickly pulled back though, looking down at her apologetically. “OH! I’M SORRY! I SHOULD HAVE ASKED!” 

(Y/n) gave him a smile. “It’s ok, Creampuff.” She gave him a hug. 

When they parted, they saw Classic leaning in the doorway, and Creampuff left his hands on her shoulders and straightened her posture, giving a head pat before turning toward the hallway. “I’LL GO BACK AND MAKE SURE NO ONE IS FIGHTING AGAIN,” he offered as he left. 

“thanks, bro,” Classic told him as he sauntered over and leaned against the counter near her. 

He was silent for a moment, but then spoke. “so, uh… eventful interview… a bit unorthodox, to say the least…” 

(Y/n) made a noise of agreement. 

“so... um… sorry about that…” He scratched at his cheekbone near his socket. “they’ll settle down, it’s just gonna take a bit. you, um, got the job, at least…” 

(Y/n) sighed and rubbed her hands over her head, then down her face. “I don’t want it,” she mumbled into her palms.

“what?” He asked, shocked and with a slight note of panic. 

“I don’t want the job,” (Y/n) repeated, looking him in the eyelights this time. “Not if they’re going to be like that. It’s creepy, and weird, and completely inappropriate.” 

Though his face was unmoving, she could feel the panic rising in his stance. 

“they won’t be like that-” 

“Classic, you literally just said it’d take a while to change,” she pointed out, deadpan. 

“it’ll take a _bit_ but they won’t be like that after,” he told her. “they- they… some of them don’t know how to act around people… i’m actually surprised some of them managed to keep jobs as long as they have,” he commented, trailing off. “but, they will behave.” 

She shook her head, looking out the door again. 

Her eyes turned to him, wide in shock as he blurted out an obscene number. 

“for- consider it- um, hazard pay,” he told her. 

She couldn’t say anything, just stared at him in shock. 

“at least until you can get another job,” he bargained. 

“Can you even _afford_ to pay that much?” She asked, still shocked. 

“course i can, i wouldn’t have said it if i couldn’t do it, would i?” He confirmed. 

(Y/n) blinked for a moment. 

She didn’t want to be surrounded by creepy -and not in the spooky way- skeletons, and she didn’t want them constantly hitting on her or fighting over her like she was a piece of meat- she was a person, damn it! A full, complete person, with more interesting attributes than her body… or… whatever the hell it was they were interested in… 

But… a voice in the back of her mind told her that a number that obscene could pay for an awful lot of dental work, far beyond what the free and emergency programs she had been planning on calling could offer… better than their facilities offered… 

Papyrus might be able to smile without discomfort, physical _or_ confidence wise… 

A number that obscene could get her set up to get a place pretty damn quickly… 

But was it worth the harassment and having to deal with jerks that would go with the job? 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I usually say that I've posted a chapter of my other story, but it's not done. I do have something else for you, though! A little [OG Sans sinlet](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26305105) or smutlet if you prefer lol.
> 
> Also- [this super cute boy](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/627976780677070848/look-at-this-boy-this-sweet-sweet-cinnamon) by vhutch88-blog! 💓  
> I also found [this hilarious comic](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/628474123114397696/gettingfriskywithit-establishing-boundaries) that is seriously just about reader meeting Black and Mutt! 🤣🤣
> 
> If you want to send me stuff (like asks or whatever), you can do so on [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!  
> 


	17. Heed the warning.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axe doesn't like the way that his- his _brother's_ , human is being handled... but, they are "him"... so he'll be _nice_ , and give a warning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hahaha. Did you really think that Axe isn't stalking the reader (protectively)? He thinks he'll hurt her if she gets too close! Of course poor boy's solution is to make sure she doesn't get too close while he's protecting her! And is himself; *does an impression of Axe* *grumbling* damn stupid green souls...  
> Also in news, [a series of events](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/629098813812080640/a-horrible-series-of-events) has occurred that might slow me down a bit.

Blue wanted to apologize in person, but Classic had been hogging (Y/n), and the others had been arguing and yelling at him so long that when he’d gone back to check for her, she was gone, not in the kitchen, or anywhere upstairs. He’d just have to call when he got back to his and his brother’s cabin. 

Like he was the only one who had touched her! Red kept pulling her to him, and Black wasn’t any better; he kept saying awful things-

Blue fumed as he walked back downstairs, having spent a few minutes fussing over the room that had been prepared, angry that they had all over reacted when he had (Y/n) in his lap. 

It wasn't like he was doing anything! 

He was actually trying to comfort her after Red had been being disgusting to her! He was just… a bit overzealous… 

"hey bro, i gotta talk to classic about something. i'll see ya back at home, 'k?" Stretch told him when he’d reached the landing in the kitchen. 

"ALRIGHT, I'LL SEE YOU THERE. DON'T FILL UP ON THOSE SNACKS! IT'LL BE DINNER TIME SOON," Blue told him before leaving, starting down the gravel road. 

He looked up at the sky, seeing the beginnings of sunset. The trees around were tall enough that their long, darker shadows were already starting to cross the path, darkening the already shadowed ground with no direct sunlight. 

The gravel under his boots crunched as he watched the sky, finding the faint sight of the moon in the sky, one of the prettier sights above ground, only made better when the vibrant colors of sunset added to it. 

Off to the side, though, he could see a storm rolling in, and made a note to make sure his bike was covered and secure before it started. 

A shiver shot up Blue's spine and he stopped walking, freezing in his tracks. 

He took a breath and looked around, seeing nothing out of the ordinary. 

He shook himself and continued on his way, scolding himself for being startled when he trained as much as possible to be prepared for anything, an asset when he was trying to get into the Royal Guard. 

He continued down the path, passing Red and Edge’s cabin, now truly far enough from the lodge that the only sounds were the nature around him, and his footsteps. 

He thought he saw a shadow, and felt unease stab at him, but when he looked, he saw a bird fluttering to the ground. 

_DON’T SCARE YOURSELF!_ Blue scolded himself. 

Another couple of steps, and he felt his pace quicken. 

Justifying his actions to himself mentally, just before he’d reached his and Stretch’s cabin, he stopped. 

His eyelights looked around but he didn’t see anything in the fading light. 

Suddenly, his arms were pinned to his sides and he was lifted from the ground, squeezed to a larger rib cage. 

“hello, blue,” a rough, deep voice growled at the side of his skull where his ear would be. 

“U-UH, HI, AXE… WH-WHERE’S YOUR BROTHER?” Blue asked nervously. 

“he didn’t need to be here for this…” Axe growled, a dark chuckle brushing against Blue’s skull. 

“HERE FOR- WHAT?” Blue asked, even more nervous, now. 

Axe chuckled again. “why, are you uncomfortable? not so nice when someone has a hold on you and won’t let go, huh?” He asked, tightening his hold on him a bit. 

“WHAT ARE YOU TALKING A-ABOUT? ARE YOU DOING OK, AXE?” Blue was trying to stay calm, but Axe was so _strong_! Even with his well trained body, with his feet in the air, he couldn’t break out without either leverage or dusting the scary him. 

Blue was suddenly free, falling to the gravel and catching himself, quickly straightening and looking around until he saw Axe standing next to the cabin, holding his axe in one hand and stroking the other over the side of the blade. 

“i’m talking about; you shouldn’t go around holding other people’s things without permission…” 

Axe’s manic grin was unnerving and Blue could only stare at him uneasily. Axe was a wild card, one that you never knew what he was going to do and could go off unexpectedly. 

“i know our little lamb may be a tasty little snack, but you’d better not get a _head_ of yourself, or pain will _beheading_ your way,” Axe growled, swinging his axe and burying it in a nearby tree. 

Blue gulped at the dark puns and the imagery they brought up. 

“to be clear… don’t grab the human like that again- don't touch her without her permission… if you do… well… bethany and i know where to find you.” With that, Axe pulled his axe from the tree and disappeared with a shortcut. 

Blue felt his soul rushing, the terror that seemed to follow Axe around starting to fade, letting him start to move again and gasp for a breath. 

After hurrying into the cabin and locking the doors and windows as though that would do anything against the shortcutting fiend, Blue pulled out his phone, trying to catch his breath. 

Axe had been avoiding the others and staying close to his own cabin for so long that Blue had forgotten how scary he could be one on one. It was made worse by the fact that he didn’t want to accidentally dust the half crazed skeleton… even if he was from another universe, another timeline, one where he’d lived through hell… he was still… a part of him. And Blue would never be one to commit ‘suicide’ by killing another him. 

“MWEH…” Blue gave an unsteady laugh. “AXE WOULD HAVE LOVED THAT ONE…” 

He looked at the phone in his hand and lifted it, pulling up the contact info he needed. 

. 

(Y/n) sat in one of the chairs on the back patio at the lodge, staring idly at the trees nearby. 

She had to think about this. Classic had told her to stay there the night and test it out, worst that would happen is that she’d get a good night’s sleep in a warm place. 

She had to agree, honestly. She loved her little camper- for camping, when she could have only the stuff she needed and didn’t have it packed with stuff until she couldn’t find anything. 

(Y/n) flinched in surprise as her phone rang. 

Looking down at it after she’d fished it from her pocket, she saw that it was Blue calling. 

Unsure of if she wanted to answer it and talk to him, she looked back to the trees, listening to it ring. 

On one of the last rings, she slid her finger to answer and held it close to her head, but not to her ear, not wanting to be deafened. 

“Hi, Blue,” she murmured, her recently remembered weariness obvious in her voice. 

“(Y/N)- H-HI… I- I WANTED TO TALK TO YOU IN PERSON, BUT I MUST HAVE MISSED YOU WHEN YOU LEFT, BECAUSE I DIDN’T SEE YOU ANYWHERE…” 

She felt hesitant to let him know where she was, for some reason, so she just made a vague agreeable noise instead of answering. 

“I UM, JUST NEED TO TALK FOR A MOMENT, SO PLEASE LISTEN…” His voice carried true remorse in it. 

She made another agreeable noise, and he took that as her agreement to listen. 

“(Y/N), WHEN I TOLD YOU THAT YOU’RE THE SWEETEST HUMAN I’VE EVER MET, I MEANT THAT- AND… I REALLY AM- I REALLY LIKE YOU, (Y/N)-” 

“Blue, you hardly know me,” (Y/n) interrupted him. “We had dinner and watched a movie, had maybe, _three_ conversations…” 

“I- H-HUMAN-” Blue seemed at a loss for words. “(Y/N)... (Y/n), Do You Not Feel It, Too?” He asked quietly. 

“Feel what, Blue?” She asked. 

“The… The Pull… The Twinge In Your Chest… Your Soul Trying To Reach Out… Do You Really Not Feel It, Too?” He sounded distressed at that. 

“My… soul reaching out? Blue- I don’t know what that means…” (Y/n) felt that him not knowing where she was was the way to go, and was glad she’d had that feeling in time. 

He was silent and there was a sound of fabric rustling near the phone. She’d bet that he was holding his chest. 

There was a deep breath, and when he spoke again, it was with his normal gusto. “I FORGOT! HUMANS AREN’T IN TOUCH ENOUGH WITH THEIR SOULS TO TAKE THEM OUT! YOU PROBABLY CAN’T EVEN FEEL IT, _THAT’S_ WHY YOU CAN’T FEEL THE TUG! MWEH HEH HEH! I’M SORRY, (Y/N) THIS MUST ALL BE SO CONFUSING TO YOU, THEN! HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF- no, you wouldn’t know what a soul spark is…” he murmured to himself, “OH! WHEN YOU MEET SOMEONE AND YOU GET ALONG, BECOME INSTANT BESTIES! HAVE YOU EVER HAD THAT HAPPEN?” 

“Um, sure, I guess,” (Y/n) told him, wondering what he was getting at. 

“WELL, PAPPY EXPLAINS IT SO MUCH BETTER THAN ME, BUT, MONSTERS HAVE THIS THING WHERE THEY CAN FEEL THEIR SOULS CALLING OUT TO OTHERS!” He sounded pleased with himself and his ability to explain something so complicated so that she should understand. 

“So… your soul wants to be my soul’s friend?” She asked, not quite sure if that’s what he was saying. 

“W-WELL, Kinda, BUT MOSTLY, YES!” Blue wanted to tell her the truth, but it would probably freak her out. This was much better; she understood the concept, and wouldn’t leave them because she was afraid of something none of them could change. 

“Ok… And what does all this have to do with what you were going to tell me?” She asked. 

“WELL, I REALLY LIKE YOU- MY SOUL REALLY LIKES YOUR SOUL, SO IT FEELS AS IF WE’VE ALREADY KNOWN EACH OTHER FOR A LONG TIME TO ME… I APOLOGIZE IF I WAS ACTING TOO FAST… BUT… WHEN RED WAS BEING A PERVERT, I WAS WORRIED THAT YOU WERE UNCOMFORTABLE, MAYBE AFRAID… I-I…” he took another breath before restarting, “I WAS TRYING TO COMFORT YOU AND MAKE SURE YOU WERE OK, I JUST- G-GOT A BIT… PASSIONATE…" He admitted. 

"And what was the point of pulling me into your lap?" (Y/n) asked, trying to decide if she believed him or not. 

"IT'S EASIER TO COMFORT SOMEONE IF THEIR SOUL IS CLOSER TO YOURS- THAT'S WHY HUGS FEEL SO GREAT!" He explained.

“That doesn’t mean that you can just grab people, Blue,” she reprimanded. 

“NO- I KNOW!” He assured hurriedly. “IT’S JUST- I- I THINK THAT SINCE HUMANS AREN'T AS IN TOUCH WITH THEIR SOULS, YOU COULDN'T READ MY INTENTIONS AND THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING…" 

(Y/n) scanned the treeline as she thought, taking a breath and letting it go. "Blue, are you trying to tell me that the Underground was free of misunderstandings? Because that seems a bit farfetched." 

You know, more than thinking she'd ever be having a conversation about souls with a skeleton over the phone… 

"I- NO…" He paused, seeming to think about what he was saying before continuing. “THERE- THERE _WERE_ OCCASIONALLY TROUBLES UNDERGROUND, BUT… YOUR SOUL CAN, AS I SAID, REACH OUT, AND KINDA TELL OTHERS YOUR INTENTIONS. SO, IF, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU THINK SOMEONE IS CHASING SOMEONE TO ATTACK THEM, YOU WOULD GET IN FRONT OF THEM, INTENDING TO STOP THEM, THEIR SOUL WOULD FEEL YOUR INTENT, AND MAY LET YOUR SOUL KNOW THAT IT’S INTENT IS PLAYING. NO NEED TO INTERVENE, SO YOU MOVE OUT OF THE WAY, AND EVERYONE IS HAPPY, EVEN THOUGH THERE WAS A MISUNDERSTANDING.” 

(Y/n) had buried her face in her free hand, trying to take this in. “Monsters really just intuitively know what other monsters are doing?” She asked. 

“YE- NO, USUALLY, YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CLOSE WITH THE PERSON TO JUST BE ABLE TO TELL,” he explained. “THERE ARE TIMES, THOUGH, WHEN AN ENCOUNTER- UM, MAYBE YOU’D UNDERSTAND BETTER IF I CALLED IT AN ALTERCATION- STARTS. THEN YOU CAN DO A- IT’S CALLED A CHECK, YOU CAN SEE THEIR INTENTIONS AND THEIR STATS…” 

Wow. This was a lot to take in, a bit of culture shock, probably. 

But, it did make her think of how humans read body language. So maybe monsters read souls instead of body language? 

That actually made a bit of sense, since she knew monsters were mostly magic that was connected to their souls, though not a lot of information had been shared with humans when the barrier had broken. She couldn't blame them, though. Why tell a bunch of strangers all of your weaknesses? 

“Hey, Blue,” she started with a huff of laughter, “has anyone ever told you that you’re really smart when you take the time to slow down and explain things?” 

There was a noise on the other end of the line, and she’d bet that Blue was blushing. “UM, N-NO… I’M USUALLY NOT IN ONE PLACE LONG ENOUGH,” he admitted. “THERE’S ALWAYS SO MUCH TO DO!” 

(Y/n) chuckled to herself softly.

“YOU SEE, (Y/N)? YOU’RE THE SWEETEST, KINDEST, MOST WONDERFUL, THOUGHTFUL HUMAN! I BET IF YOU HAD FALLEN UNDERGROUND YOU WOULD HAVE GONE TO FREE THE MONSTERS IMMEDIATELY! IS IT REALLY A SURPRISE THAT MY SOUL WANTS TO BE WITH YOURS?!” He laughed to her. 

“Hey, Blue?” She asked, feeling a lot better about all of her interactions with Blue that day now that she understood better. 

“YES, (Y/N)?” Blue asked. 

“Try to slow down, ok? So we can avoid any misunderstandings?” 

“I’LL DO MY BEST, (Y/N)! AND WHEN THE MAGNIFICENT S- BLUEBERRY DECIDES TO DO SOMETHING, HE DOES IT!” He promised. “SO,” he asked sheepishly after a moment, “APOLOGY ACCEPTED?” 

“Yes, Blue, apology accepted,” she told him. 

“I’M SO GLAD, (Y/N)! It Was Making Me Unhappy To Think You’d Dislike Me...” He admitted. 

. 

Black looked out the kitchen window as he finished loading the dishes from dinner into the dishwasher. 

The trees were whipping a bit wildly as the storm came in, making the leaves sound almost like rushing water. 

After he had finished the chore and taken a relaxing bath before bed, Black settled under his soft, warm covers, enjoying the plush comfort they afforded him. 

A bolt of lightning lit the sky, flashing dimly into the room through a crack in the curtains. 

Black's eye sockets popped open at the sound of most probably freezing rain pelting the window, quickly growing from a tapping pattern to angrily pouring and making the sound of a hundred or so impatient people drumming their fingers on the glass surface. 

Black sighed and turned over, but a shadow caught his eyelights. 

He blinked and tried to look at it. Lightning flashed again, and helped to light the space, but there was nothing there. 

Giving a sigh in self frustration, he turned back over in the bed, drawing the soft covers up over himself. 

It was unsettling, though, and he was soon glancing over his shoulder. 

_IT'S NOTHING_ , he tried to soothe himself, but he couldn't shake the feeling. 

Another flash of lightning filtered in through his window, followed after a moment by a crack of thunder, and Black jumped. 

There was a sound from the corner of his room, and his eyelights searched the dark for what had caused it. 

"Who's There?" Black hissed into the dark. 

There was no reply, not surprisingly. 

Black made a disgruntled noise and turned over, trying to ignore the unsettling feeling in the depths of his bones. 

Another flash of lightning, another noise- 

"Show Yourself, You Coward!" Black demanded as he sat up, irritation only growing as nervousness built within him. 

Still no reply. 

Nothing was there. 

But something- or some _one_ was so obviously there! 

Flash of lightning… Clap of thunder- nothing. 

Black growled and laid back. 

Frustrating! 

"I'm Not Afraid Of You!" He harshly, yet quietly, declared to the room. 

The last thing he needed was for his brother to hear him yelling at the dark- that he wasn't afraid of it. 

Flash of lightning- noise, clap of thunder. 

Uncertainty and unease spiked in him. 

It sounded closer. 

"Get Out!" He demanded breathlessly. "Who- _What_ ever You Are!" 

No response. 

Another flash of lightning. "Get-" Clap of thunder- "Out!" 

Nothing. 

The rain was running down the windowpane so thick that the light from the lightning was distorted, showing strange shapes across the room. 

This time, the noise came first, sounding like something dragging over the wooden floor. 

There was a beat where it seemed that there should have been lightning, but there wasn't. 

Another beat and softly, in the distance, the thunder from the missing lightning rumbled. Just in time to be accompanied by the next flash of lightning, and a terrifying, murder intent face appearing much too close for comfort- AND MOVING CLOSER! 

"MUTT!!" Black yelled- he'd never admit it to be a scream, and he'd fight anyone that insisted it had a bit of a womanly tone to it. 

Mutt appeared in the room suddenly, dressed in only a black tank top and his boxers, and was ready for battle. 

After looking around the room, he straightened. "there's nothing here, m'lord." 

"I KNOW THAT!" Black declared, fighting the burgundy blush from his cheek bones. "I WAS JUST TESTING THAT YOU'RE READY FOR WHENEVER I NEED YOU!" 

Mutt let out a soft huff of a chuckle and patted him on the head gently. "of course, m'lord." He pulled the blankets back up around his brother, tucking him in. "sleep well, m'lord, i'm here," he said before heading toward the door, making a mental note to stop by and have a conversation with Axe later. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is where I usually say that I've posted a chapter of my other story, but it's still not done... and the only other thing I have done is for Spooky-ween... Listen, man, I- I worked 75 hours in the last 8 days, and one of those was a day off, where I- ... dude, I went and had to do adult shit like buy groceries, take care of the yard and garden, laundry... dishes... T.T *sigh* No rest for the wicked... Also my Laptop battery decided that it didn't work anymore, so... Now it's glitching a bit and is a pain in the ass that I have to keep plugged in to use.  
> On the bright side, since I've had less time with my laptop, I've drawn a bit more, and I have about 75% of a little Red figure done that I will be able to use in little ask/ comment comics hahaha. Here's to hoping that I'll be able to work on stuff despite six day weeks! 🍻
> 
> If you want to send me stuff (like asks or whatever), you can do so on [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!  
> 


	18. You ARE the great Papyrus!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And we rewind a little to just after hanging up the phone with Blue...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To answer your question before you ask...  
> Yes. I am here to step on your heart and make you cry. Muahahahahahaha! Ahem... 
> 
> I can't believe this story is so well received- honestly! About 14500 hits?! And all the comments?! I always feel like I'm just writing filler bs, but you guys are so positive about it- I love you guys so much! 💖💖
> 
> I gotta tell ya, I needed that break. It was so much with work and everything going on. Too crazy. But! I have been insanely productive! Today, I actually got like, a good amount of sleep! It's amazing! Plus all the things around the house I did and chapters/ one shots I finished! So awesome!  
> Ok, enough about me. 
> 
> We're going back a bit to just after Reader hangs up from her call with Blue, and following her through to the next morning.

(Y/n) Stuffed her phone back into her pocket and decided to go inside as the wind whipped the tree branches around, signaling an incoming storm. 

She closed and locked the door before looking around and making sure that there were no skeletons in the kitchen and dining room, after which, she made her way around the whole lower floor to make sure she was alone and check the place out. 

There wasn’t much more to see than what she’d already seen, so she went back to the dining part of the other room where the stairs let out and started up them. 

She opened the doors, giving them a quick once over since it was clear where they’d intended for her to sleep; the door was cracked open and the light was on, leaking into the darkened hallway. 

A bedroom on her left, a storage room, a bedroom on her right, the utilities room, a door on the left opened to a bathroom with a doorway on the other side leading to a small laundry area. And at the end- the room she supposed would be hers. 

If she took the job. 

Which she didn’t think she wanted to- but couldn’t help thinking of how fast she could help Bun with how well it paid. Supposedly. 

She wondered where Classic worked that he could offer that much money. 

A sound from the room in front of her ripped her from her thoughts, and she looked up, peeking around the doorway. 

Red stood there, looking as though he were observing his work. 

He flinched when he noticed her and suppressed a growl. “geez, what’re ya doin’ sneakin’ up on people like that? ya could get hurt,” he grumbled. 

(Y/n) didn’t say anything, just held her ground, aware that she was alone in the building with him. He had only been flirty earlier, but she still remembered when he was growling that she was coming with him- whether she liked it or not. It certainly didn't make her comfortable. 

Red looked away, crumpling up the fabric in his hands a bit more and clearing his non visible throat. “n-never mind… uh… anyway, i was jus’ checkin’ on th’ room fer ya.” 

“What’s that?” She asked, gesturing to his hands.

His- lip? No… He was a skeleton… But somehow, he made it look like his lip curled, despite not having lips. 

"'s jus' some frilly garbage," he muttered. 

(Y/n) looked past him to the bed, seeing a mostly black, accented with red and purple comforter and a red and black, patterned blanket thrown over the foot of the bed. 

It looked a bit worn, but clean, and comfortable. 

"Um. Thanks." (Y/n) still didn't feel comfortable, but checking that a room was ready for a guest, even with what looked like a bed skirt wadded up in his hands, wasn't strange. It was, in fact, almost gentlemanly. Hostly, at least.

"no problem," he answered, looking a bit uncomfortable. "i'll, uh, jus' fuck off, then…" 

Red walked past her, and she hesitated, but said his name for him to stop. 

"Thanks, for earlier, too," she told him. He had helped free her from Blue's hold, after all. 

A smile broke over his face, chasing the nervousness away. "heh, no problem, doll. ya ever need help, jus' gimme a call." With great restraint he kept himself from saying that he’d be glad to pull any other men off of her, since he wanted to be the only man on her. 

With that, he left, (Y/n) going after him and making sure the doors were all locked and closing all of the curtains so that no perverts could look through the windows. 

When she got back up to the room she was staying in, she double checked the closets and everywhere she could think of where someone could hide, then flopped onto the bed and pulled out her phone. 

She checked through all of her emails, but found nothing from any of the places she’d applied at, probably due to the sea of people who were vying for a job. Businesses had no shortage of options to hire. 

Which made it even weirder that, one, no one had responded to the job ad Classic had put out, though she wasn’t sure she’d be replying to an ad to come live out in the woods for an undetermined amount of time if she hadn’t already met the ones offering it, and two, that Classic had seemed so insistent that he wanted _her_ to take it, even getting a bit nervous and spitting out a ridiculous number in an attempt to get her to stay, it had seemed. 

With a sigh (Y/n) rolled over and her arms splayed out around her as she let herself sink into the mattress. 

“Ooooooooooh, _gooooooooood_ ,” she groaned as her body told her that this was the best bed she’d ever laid on. 

This job might be worth it for the bed alone, holy fuck… 

Through her extra relaxed feelings, (Y/n) could hear the wind whipping through the trees, signaling that the storm was close. 

She hoped that Papyr- Bun, would be ok, since he had trouble with storms… 

Another great thing about taking this job; she’d be able to help Bun. 

Not accruing enough debt to bankrupt her in one fell swoop while she did would be nice. 

(Y/n) pulled her phone back to her and pulled up 'Sweet Bun' in her messages. 

**_Me:_ ** _Bun, I just wanted to check on you because of the storm, and let you know that I'm up at the lodge._

She looked toward the window as she waited for his reply. It didn't take long, or, at least it didn't seem like it did with the wind blown trees entertaining her.

 **_Sweet Bun:_ ** _Does That Mean You Took The Job?!_

 **_Sweet Bun:_ ** _I’m Alright, I Have A Comfort Item To Help. And Sans Will Be Back, Soon, I Hope._

If he had a comfort item, why hadn’t he used it before, the first night they’d met? She also couldn’t help but notice that he was excited for her to take the job so she could stay close, too. 

**_Me:_ ** _No. I'm not sure if I'm going to._

A sudden nervousness filled her, something to do with being in this large home all by herself, in a storm, making her feel uneasy. 

Her friend was far away. So was her cuddly stuffed animal. Ooh shit- 

And her pajamas! 

Ugh! She didn't want to go walking outside in horror movie weather- alone, especially! And with Sans the axe wielding skeleton being pissed at her. ...probably lurking about like the creep he occasionally was. 

**_Me:_ ** _Hey, Bun, you'd come get me if I asked you to, right?_

His reply was immediate.

 **_Sweet Bun:_ ** _Do You Need Me To Get You?_

 **_Sweet Bun:_ ** _I Can Be There In About Ten Minutes!_

Oops! She hadn't meant to make him panic. 

**_Me:_ ** _No, I'm ok, Bun!_

 **_Me:_ ** _It just makes me feel better to know that._

There was a moment, probably where he was calming himself, before he answered. 

**_Sweet Bun:_ ** _Of Course, (Y/n), I'm Here If You Need Me! That's What Friends Are For, Right?!_

God- he was the sweetest! The sweetest Bun! 

The nickname seemed to fit him even more now. 

**_Sweet Bun:_ ** _(Y/n), Sans Is Finally Back From His "Errands", So I'm Going To Have A Talk With Him, And Go To Bed. Be Sure To Get Some Sleep, Even If It's A Strange Bed! And Don't Forget; Even If He's Being A Pain, Sans Is Still Here For You, And Will Be, If You Need Him. Goodnight!_

His message brought a smile to her face and she sent a quick message back. 

**_Me:_ ** _Goodnight, Bun. Sleep well! Sans, too!_

Time to decide how she was going to sleep. 

It definitely wasn't going to be in a bra and shoes, so she took care of that right off the bat. 

The rest was… pretty comfortable, actually. 

Since she was still pretty much fully dressed and it was nice and warm in there, she didn't want to sleep under a heavy comforter, so she took the worn blanket at the foot of the bed and pulled it over herself. 

It had a distinctive smell to it, though she couldn't place exactly what it was. 

Something woodsy and cold? 

Something dark and wet? 

Something… warm and protective? 

It smelled nice, whatever it was. 

. 

(Y/n) woke up earlier than she would have thought with how comfortable the bed was, but she put it down to sleeping somewhere strange and in her clothes. 

She wasn't sure what the skeletons all used the lodge for, if they would be coming up there for a morning get together or anything, so she decided against going back to sleep, not wanting to be unconscious around a bunch of strangers, especially when some of them had shown that they at least a degree of social ineptitude. 

(Y/n) made her way down to the kitchen and looked around, finding some pancake mix. 

She wondered for a moment if by being invited to stay here she had been granted access to their pantry, but decided that if they _really_ had a problem with it, she'd buy them another bag of pancake mix. 

After sending Bun a quick message inviting him and Sans for breakfast, and surprise at getting an answer so quickly, she opened the door for them, then hurried upstairs to get cleaned up. 

Bun was just knocking on the door when she reached the bottom of the stairs and she hurried over to let him in. 

"Bun!" She smiled and opened her arms for a hug. 

He returned it, spinning her playfully, then just standing there, grateful to be holding her so close without her being afraid. 

"You ok, Papyrus?" She asked. 

"Yes, Fine," he answered, letting her go. 

She smiled at him and led him to the kitchen, starting to get things ready and mixed for pancakes. 

"Sans isn't coming?" She asked. 

"N-No," he told her. "He- Still Feels Guilty About…" 

(Y/n) nodded to him to show she knew what he meant, whisking water into the pancake mix. "Well, I'll make him a plate for you to take." 

"Thank You, (Y/n)... I Know He'll Get Over It Eventually…" 

"Some people take more time," she shrugged again. "By the way, what would be the best day of the week to make a trip into town?" 

"I- I Suppose That Would Depend On What You Were Wanting To Do. But- B-Blue Would Probably Be Better To Ask…" He answered uncomfortably. 

(Y/n) chuckled as she poured a pancake. "No, Bun, _you_. What would be the best day for _you_ to take a trip into town?" 

His tenseness grew. "I- N-No Thank You, (Y/n)- I-I Don't Need To Go There!" 

(Y/n) looked up at him in surprise. 

"Bun… for- so I can make appointments, for the optometrist and dentist or orthodontist," she explained. 

"N-No, Thank You, Really, (Y/n)," he told her. 

Her eyes narrowed at him in suspicion. "I thought you said you weren't afraid of the doctors?" 

"I-I'm Not!" He insisted. 

(Y/n) just stared at him in question until he continued. 

"It's- it's the town I don't like…" 

"You're afraid to go into town?" She asked. 

"Not exactly… But everyone always looks at me in terror, and… it's very uncomfortable to be around people who are afraid of you…" He looked like he was about to burst into tears, and it made her heart hurt. 

"Bun- Papyrus, no- listen to me- you're amazing!" She moved around the island counter that served as a breakfast bar where he'd settled and wrapped her arms around him the best she could. "You're the great Papyrus! Those people who are afraid of the way you look, they're missing out! Just because they haven't taken the time to get to know you! I feel bad for them," she declared. 

"I'm not the great Papyrus anymore," he murmured. 

(Y/n) leaned back so she could look into his eyes, still a bit higher than her despite his slouching, sitting figure and her standing one. 

She took his skull in her hands and pointed his sockets toward her eyes. "You listen to me, the great Papyrus. You are amazing, you are kind, you are sweet, you are wonderful. It doesn't matter how many other Papyruses- Papyruse? Papyri? N-no matter how many others there are, you're still the great Papyrus." 

"Th-the pancake-" he tried to object and distract her, but she cut him off. 

"No. I don't care about that pancake right now. I care about my friend." 

After another moment, he wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her safely, but tightly. 

"Thank you, (Y/n)," he whispered. 

"Don't be silly, Bun; that's what friends are for." She gently pulled away to go flip the pancake that was on the edge of burning. "Now. What day is best for you to go out?" 

"I- I Still Don't Know How Comfortable I Am With Going Out," he told her. "Besides, I Don't Think Sans Would Be Ok With Me Going Out Without Him."

(Y/n) opened her mouth, about to start in on convincing him as she poured another pancake. 

She was stopped as he offered to help her, but she refused, cooking a couple more pancakes as they carried a conversation about just how many pancakes she’d cooked at her previous two jobs. 

As (Y/n) was wrapping a few pancakes for Sans and letting the ones for them start cooking, she again opened her mouth, preparing for the convincing. 

However, this time, the conversation was moved to the back burner as the other skeletons started trickling in, apparently attracted by the smell of cooking pancakes. 

(Y/n) looked up, awkwardly giving a glance to the almost empty bowl of batter and quickly moved to get more mix, as well as another pan. 

Looks like she was cooking for everyone. 

And like she was going to have to stay close so she could work on getting Bun to go with her into town so she could get him the help he needed. 

Between pancakes, she pulled out her phone, pulling up a specific chat. 

**_Me:_ ** _Ok. But we have to talk about real wages. I'd hate to think of what would be expected of me for that much payment._

 **_Classy:_ ** _the pay offer stands, as does the job duties description. though i wouldn't say no if you wanted to moonlight as my assistant occasionally. your main duty there would be writing down long, complex nonsense, as well as watching me stare at the board while i figure it out._

(Y/n) let out a laugh, flipping another pancake as she looked over the group of skeletons already building around her. 

**_Me:_ ** _Oh? And where do you work that you do that?_

 **_Classy:_ ** _i work part time at an observatory. the calculations are for traversing distances through space and how gravity affects the process making it harder or easier, and how to manage the implications._

(Y/n) just stared and reread the message for a moment. 

What the hell was he saying? 

Was that stuff about… space travel or something? He said 'traversing distances' but, physically, or the way planets moved so they could be tracked? 

**_Me:_ ** _You… use that at the observatory?_

 **_Classy:_ ** _not really._

Ok, then… 

**_Me:_ ** _Well, whenever you get your head out of the stars, I'll talk to you about the pay and duties, just to make sure I know what I'm doing, and how much it's worth._

She'd feel guilty if he overpaid her when he was only part time. Though, he insisted he could afford the high number… but she couldn't see how, unless everyone else was kicking in, too. 

Which… wouldn’t be weird, if she would be helping them all with shopping and cooking, or whatever… hmm… 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone! Productiveness?! I finished the Axe one shot!  
> [Here you go!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26673754).  
> Still have a few Skellies to go! You can submit a vote/ suggestion for the next one [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uV1Ydviqi95BAJKVfPiV02P4ZWK4IJr2HNhvgtfMy-M/viewform?edit_requested=true)! I reset the poll, though I did save all the suggestions and may use them for some of the future ones, depending on who/ the scene, if they fit!
> 
> I also actually managed to get another chapter of my [other story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097) out today!  
> Here's another [comic response](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/629801283301359616/another-comment-reply-comic) to a comment! Seriously, let me know if you guys are getting sick of these, or or them being linked in here.  
> And here, we have a [comic/ response](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/630060673295171584/hello-quiet-one-mister-september-i-remember) by Hello-quiet-one. (I did the response). So if you want to laugh (or see -hopefully- sexy Blue) check it out!  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)! 
> 
> AND I've been thinking about maybe making a discord for my writing...? ... I mean, I don't know... I have tumblr, and I don't know if anyone would really be interested, so... yeah.  
> Thoughts, maybe?


	19. Anger and pancakes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone is pissed at Red- and eats pancakes. ... (Y/n) makes pancakes for everyone, and stumbles across something... strange... Even if no one will confirm it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Spooky season- spooky season! My favorite time of year! 😍😍😍😍  
> I have also died because in one week this story went from 14500 hits to just under 15800! And all the beautiful comments and kudos!!  
> Ohmilord!  
> Lookidat...  
> Whew...  
> Oh my god-! And the HT! bros one shot got 1200?! *shock* You guys are awesome! I <3 y'all!  
> I died... I am spooky ghost for the season...  
> Don't forget to vote for who's next- it's a pretty damn close race right now. The lead is only one vote ahead of the second, and the third is only three behind him.
> 
> Note that about the time that Edge and Red walk in is during the time (Y/n) is having her text conversation with Classic in the last chapter (she didn't catch much of what they were doing, though, since she was focused on cooking and texting).

Blue woke to his alarm as usual, fighting off sleep as he tossed his blankets off. 

A few minutes later, his snooze went off, and he climbed from the bed, grumbling to himself as he went about getting ready. 

He paused in brushing his teeth, watching his brother walk past the doorway with a mumbled, "hey, bro." 

After he finished his teeth and started downstairs, it occurred to him how cold it was outside. Stretch was in the kitchen already, brewing his necessary coffee. 

"DO YOU THINK THAT (Y/N) IS OK? NOT TOO COLD, I MEAN…" 

"she should be fine," Stretch answered. "she could always turn up the heat if she needed to." 

"WH- THERE'S HEAT IN HER CAMPER?!" Blue was shocked at that, having thought it was just added on, without any electrical connections. 

Stretch shook his skull as he got the hilariously oversized coffee mug Blue had gotten him last Gyftmas ready for his black gold. "she's up at the lodge." 

Blue was surprised that she hadn't told him that last night- but then he remembered that he'd made her uncomfortable at her interview. It made sense that she wouldn't want him to know where she was when he'd made her so uncomfortable… 

Guilt grew in him, and he looked down to the floor across the kitchen. 

"I- I Think I'm Going To Go Apologize…" He muttered, turning and heading toward the door to get his boots on. 

"i'll meet ya," his brother told him, "bring ya your thermos." 

"THANKS," Blue called as he walked out into the chilly morning air. 

The moment he reached Red and Edge's cabin, he could smell pancakes cooking. 

Edge didn't usually cook this early, since Red didn't usually get up this early… 

Maybe Creampuff was cooking? 

The smell definitely got stronger the closer he got, but he could tell as he got to that cabin that the smell was coming from the lodge. 

He got to the door and knocked before opening it and going in, heading toward the kitchen. 

"HELLO, (Y/N)," he called, not wanting to surprise her. 

"Hi, Blue," she greeted as he joined Crooks at the counter. 

"HI, CR- Um, PAPYRUS," he greeted his puzzle buddy. 

Crooks gave him a slight smile and greeted him happily. 

(Y/n) turned to the counter, sliding a pancake from the spatula in her hand, and a scent hit Blue like a smack to the parietal bone. 

His jaw clenched, his teeth grinding together as the very distinct smell of Red wafted through his nasal cavity. He held his growl back as his eyelights turned to the stairs. 

That dirty, pushy, pervert… 

There was another knock at the front door and a moment later, Stretch walked in with a large thermos. 

"hey," he greeted the other two, looking at the pancakes and then Blue. 

There was a loud 'knocking' on the door, and then Edge walked into the kitchen with Red trailing behind him. 

Blue's brow bone wrinkled in confusion to see Red walking in half asleep when (Y/n) was covered in his scent, but… maybe he'd used one of the lazy shortcuts his own brother was so fond of… 

Edge stopped and turned to his older brother, glaring down at his sleepy form. 

"What Did You Do?!" He hissed. 

Red looked up at him, confused and still half asleep. "huh?" 

"What Did You Do?!" Edge demanded again. 

"i ain't done anythin', boss, i jus' woke up, ya saw me!" Red beseeched. 

Edge leaned closer, and Blue could hear him growl lowly, "Why Does The Human Smell Like You, You Disgusting Philanderer?" 

"she does?" Red's skull turned to look over at her. "heh. musta liked what she smelled," he chuckled boastfully. 

Blue felt his hackles lower. 

So, the smell _hadn't_ come directly from Red… 

Hope blossomed in his bones as a thought occurred to him. 

She couldn't feel her soul- maybe she couldn't smell that she was covered in Red's claiming scent, either! 

A plate of pancakes was set in front of Crooks, and he thanked her for them, pouring some syrup on them as she turned to mix more batter in the bowl. 

After a moment, a plate was put in front of Blue. 

"Th- THANK YOU," he told her, watching her flip another pancake. 

"No problem," she answered, removing one from the other pan and pouring another. 

Stretch joined the two at the counter already and soon a plate was put in front of him. 

"nyeh, thanks hon," he told her, taking a bottle of honey out of seemingly nowhere and pouring it to drench his pancakes. 

“YOU DON’T HAVE TO DROWN THEM IN IT,” Blue scolded his older brother. 

Red sidled up next to her, getting extra close. 

"mornin', doll," he greeted with his low, sinful voice. 

"Hi, Red," (Y/n) returned, keeping her voice neutral. 

He hooked a phalange on her waistband through her shirt and tugged her against him. “so, doll,” he drew out his words, and the deep, rumbling noise vibrated through her body, sending involuntary shivers through her. 

Before he could say anything else, she pushed the plate she was holding into his ribs, nudging him away with it. 

“heh, a’right, doll, i got th’ message. i’ll ask ya later,” he told her, taking the plate and going over to the table, handing it to his brother. 

Blue had finished his food and moved over to rinse his dishes and put them in the dishwasher, but Red’s scent clinging to (Y/n) was really irritating to him. 

He really wanted to wash it off of her, or cover it up- 

Oh. Yes. He _could_ do that. 

“(Y/N),” he called to get her attention. A slightly devious grin twisted his jaw as he turned, making sure Red was looking in their direction. 

He was, his expression twisted to suspicious and unpleasant as he carefully watched what was happening. 

Blue turned to smile up at (Y/n), his naturally cute and innocent looking face playing in his favor. “WOULD IT BE ALRIGHT IF MAYBE- CAN I HAVE A HUG BEFORE I GO TO WORK?” 

She looked over the pancakes, seeing that they didn’t need attention for a moment, before shrugging. “O-ok, Blue, sure.” 

Blue wrapped his arms around her, nuzzling into the crook of her neck and her shoulder. His eyelights went to Red, making sure he was looking as he rubbed his skull against her, a smug look taking up his whole face. 

Stretch just chuckled as Red bristled, standing and growling. 

“THANKS, (Y/N),” Blue beamed as he turned, taking his thermos and heading towards the door. “I’M OFF TO WORK, EVERYONE HAVE A GREAT DAY!” 

(Y/n) lifted a brow and just turned back to the stove. 

Stretch stood once his pancakes were gone, and walked over to the stove. “hey, hon, ya need any help with that? ya eaten, yet?” He let his long tongue dangle down from his smirking teeth to the plate he held close and gave a long lick of honey from it, lewdly flicking the tip up. 

Red was bristling harder, now, looking like he was about to leap across the table and attack, a growl coming from him. 

“REALLY. DISGUSTING,” Edge scoffed harshly. 

“Stretch,” Bun scolded, not _quite_ sure exactly what was happening, but knowing that if Red and Edge were both reacting this way, it must be something big. ...maybe he should at least go to look at getting glasses… Maybe he was missing more than he thought he was… 

(Y/n) turned and went the other way around the island, going to the table to put the new plate of pancakes in front of Red, since he had given his to his brother. “If you want to help, you can rinse your plate off and put it in the dishwasher. And, you can use the sink; you don’t have to behave like a wild animal and lick it clean,” she teased. 

Stretch just chuckled and moved to the sink to do as she said. 

Red reached out, giving her a soft look when he pulled his angry eyelights from the taller skeleton. “ya want me ta smack ‘im one, doll?” 

“Um, no, it’s ok,” she gave him a confused look. “You know you were doing pretty much the same thing a moment ago, right?” She asked. “You going to smack yourself one, too?” 

Red grinned and let out a chuckle. “if that’s what yer into, doll, i’ll do it fer ya.” 

(Y/n) rolled her eyes and turned around to go back to the stove. 

“wait-” She looked warily at him over her shoulder. “-ya got any coffee fer a poor skeleton, sweetheart?” 

She tilted her head. “Oh, uh, I didn’t think to make any… I’ll see if there is any.” 

“‘s on the second shelf in the pantry, sweetheart,” he called after her. 

Stretch left, and (Y/n) had just gotten another plate of pancakes ready, only two extra pancakes from the batter, when the door opened again, and Creampuff and Classic walked in. 

“hey, (y/n),” Classic greeted, standing near the table. 

“HELLO, RED, EDGE! NEW FRIEND, (Y/N)! CROO- OH, UM… I’M SORRY, IT IS RATHER STRANGE, BUT I’M NOT QUITE SURE HOW TO ADDRESS YOU NOW, NOT CROOKS,” Creampuff greeted everyone, apologizing to Bun. 

The others seemed to be carefully watching how the interaction was going to turn out, not quite sure how it was going to go down. 

“Hello, Cream. I… I Think It Would Be Alright If You Called Me Bun,” Bun answered, giving a shy glance to (Y/n). 

“Sweet Bun!” (Y/n) cheered. 

His skull glowed a little with a blush. 

The tension in the room eased, but grew back a bit as Red chuckled. 

(Y/n) shot him a challenging glare as she brought him a mug of steaming hot coffee, not setting it down, but holding it menacingly. “What’s so funny?” 

“nothin’, sweetheart, y’re jus’ so cute,” he chuckled. “wish ya were that excited ta see me- but maybe soon.” 

(Y/n) set down his coffee, turning to go back to the stove, but pausing by Classic. “If you wait a couple of minutes I’ll have another plate of pancakes.” 

Classic looked at her, breaking the hostile glare he was sending Red. “that’s alright. red and i have to get goin’ to work, anyway. isn’t that right, red?” He nearly growled at him. He turned back to (Y/n), holding out a card. 

“Wh- is that a credit card?” She asked, confused about why he was handing it to her. 

“well, debit card, or uh, bank card,” he told her. 

She didn’t reach for it. “Why are you handing it to me?”

“when we get ya set up with your own attached account, i’ll be able to just transfer your pay into your account with your own card, but, for now, this is a communal account, for all the things you’ll need to buy to do your job. groceries, cleaning supplies, gas, whatever ya need,” he explained. 

(Y/n) still hesitated to take the card, instead going to the stove and piling the pancakes onto a plate for Creampuff, handing it to him. 

"i'll leave it here for ya," Classic told her as he slipped it onto the counter, going to Red and grabbing his coat. “let’s go, _buddy_ , we don’t wanna be late.” 

“but, my coffee!” Red objected. 

“ya can get some when we get to work,” Classic told him, pulling him along to the door. “on the way, i’m gonna talk to ya about propriety.” 

“i didn’t do anythin’!” Red complained, “i swear! this's fuckin' bullshit! boss!” 

“NO ONE BELIEVES YOU BECAUSE YOU BULLSHIT TOO MUCH, SANS,” Edge called after them. 

(Y/n) froze, then turned to where Edge was finishing his plate. “Y-your brother is named Sans, too?” She asked. 

Edge looked back to her, his scarred socket and sharp teeth pulled into an intimidating scowl focusing on her. “IT IS.” 

This was too much of a coincidence. One family member with the same name, ok, two, strange, but not unheard of… but in a family where she’d only met ten of the members, and half of them having the same name was not even remotely in the realm of possible in her mind. 

“Hey, Creampuff-” 

“YOU CAN CALL ME CREAM!” He joyfully told her as he took another bite of his pancakes. 

“Cream,” (Y/n) corrected herself, taking the finished pancakes from the pans and turning the stove off before turning back to the rest of the room. “Your brother’s name is Sans, right?” 

“YES,” he answered happily, though Bun looked a bit concerned and Edge was glaring at her cautiously. 

She looked down at the counter, then back up to each skeleton in turn. “Edge, your name is Papyrus, right?” 

He straightened up haughtily and sniffed. “SO WHAT IF IT IS?” 

“How closely are you guys all related, again?” She asked, definitely getting the nervous vibes from Bun. 

“CLOSE,” Edge firmly answered. 

“W- WE’RE COUSINS!” Cream shouted helpfully. 

“Cousins?”

Bun gave a nod in reply. 

“So, are there only two names that skeletons are allowed to have?” She questioned, “or were your parents all uncreative enough they all used the same name?” 

Edge glared at her, starting to gather his dishes. 

“Hey, you guys are all the same age, right?” She asked, remembering that Blue had said he was the same age as Bun and Cream. 

“YES!” Cream seemed to love being helpful. 

“And Blue, too- and Black?” She asked. 

Edge stood with a loud clatter, walking past her and to the sink to rinse his dishes. 

“Edge?” (Y/n) asked. 

“IT’S NOT YOUR BUSINESS, AND NOT MINE TO DIVULGE,” he snipped, putting his dishes into the dishwasher before turning with a flourish and stomping away. He stopped in the doorway and spoke to her disinterestedly over his shoulder. “BY THE WAY, THE PANCAKES WERE A TAD DRY, THOUGH NOT OVERLY TERRIBLE FOR A STORE MIX.” He sounded like he thought store mixes were barely on this side of acceptable. 

“Uh, thanks, Edge,” she murmured. 

He continued to stomp away and the front door was soon heard after that, slamming closed. 

(Y/n) looked back to the counter, seeing the card that Classic had left there. The name on it was Sans. 

This was just _too freaking weird…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finished the  
> [Axe oneshot](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26673754) last week, and also have a [Sans (classic) oneshot](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26305105) and a [Mutt oneshot](https://archiveofourown.org/works/25756672).  
> Still have a few Skellies to go! You can submit a vote/ suggestion for the next one [here](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1uV1Ydviqi95BAJKVfPiV02P4ZWK4IJr2HNhvgtfMy-M/viewform?edit_requested=true)!
> 
> I also actually managed to get another chapter of my [other story](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097) out! OMG- shock! lol  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	20. What smell, where?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/n) spends the day trying to cheer up Bun with movies, and has truck, and body, problems.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, I almost didn't make it! I blame the working all day, work Halloween party afterwards (last night), and then working this morning. I'm definitely heading to bed soon-ish tonight... Says the woman with insomnia who is so tired she can't keep her eyes open, and then can't fall asleep five minutes later when she's in bed...  
> Ee gads!! I can't believe that this story has gotten so many hits since only last week! (about1300!) I love all of your comments, and appreciate all of the kudos! 💖  
> Poll results are in the end!

(Y/n) came back down the stairs with the blanket she'd used the night before in her arms to see Bun coming back from taking the plate of pancakes to his brother. 

She cuddled up on the couch, wrapping the red and black blanket around her as she and Bun settled down to watch a movie. 

She chose one that seemed like he'd like it, and spent a little bit of time through it looking for movies that she could show him showing that the "scary monsters" weren't always hated, and that sometimes they were loved. 

She ended up convincing him to have a movie marathon with her, binge watching all of the Shrek movies, stopping only for lunch, which Bun dutifully took some of to his and his brother’s cabin for the absent skeleton. 

They got through all four movies, and, with the excuse that he needed to stretch before being able to head home for dinner, as well as the start of cramps growing since about the third movie, Bun helped her clean up, not only the front room, but the little that was messy or dusty in the lodge. 

They were just up in her new room, putting the bed back together when Bun grabbed the blanket she’d been wrapped up in. 

“Oh! Oh…” 

“What’s wrong,” she asked, worried that he’d gotten hurt. 

“I Just Wondered- It- It’s None Of My Business Of Course, But I _Had_ Wondered Why You Smelled So Strongly Of Red…” He answered, his cheekbones starting to glow a little. 

“I… I smell like Red?” (Y/n) asked, confused. 

Bun nodded, lifting the blanket. “It Must Be Because Of This- But…” he sniffed the blanket, “It Smells Like… Oh…” He began chuckling nervously as he tossed the blanket on the bed. “It’s Probably One Of The Ones He Uses For Nesting…” 

(Y/n) froze, her hand absently rubbing her belly. “His… nesting…? Like… bird’s nest…?” 

Bun seemed at a loss. “Nest Like… Nest… Um… For… When You…” He paused, trying to figure out the best way to explain it. “Like You Were On The Couch, When Your Stomach Started Hurting. It’s A Comfort For… Couples, During Heats…” He thought for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction that she should be able to understand from that. 

(Y/n)’s eyes flew open. “And… that blanket smells like… when he’s in heat?” 

“Yes!” He was visibly happy that she’d understood. "It's Just His Smell, But It Becomes More Pronounced When He's In Heat."

“Ahhh… oh. Wow… no wonder the others were all ticked off.” She nodded sagely, but only had the vague idea of how exactly that worked. Hopefully it wasn’t like cats or dogs, or other animals that peed to mark things… ew. 

Bun stepped closer to her and sniffed. 

“Did… Blue Hugged You Earlier, Didn’t He?” 

“Yeah, he asked for a hug before work… why?” 

“He… Put A Mark On You, Too… Did He Rub His Skull On You?” 

“I don’t- oh, actually… I think he did,” (Y/n) admitted, remembering how he’d nuzzled her. She’d thought it was just a cuddle, but… apparently she’d again assumed that he was much more childlike than he actually was… “What… um… what does Blue smell like?” 

Bun seemed confused. “Like Himself…” 

“But… I can actually smell Red on the blanket, I think… but… I can’t tell what Blue smells like… could you tell me?” 

Bun sniffed her again and shook his head. “It Just Smells Like Blue To Me- I Couldn’t Tell You Anything Else It’d Smell Like…” 

(Y/n) was glad that at least it was closer to how some animals rubbed against things and left smells with their scent glands than spraying. It somehow seemed more like an affectionate nudge from a cat than getting peed on, and much more friendly, that way- perhaps a bit accidental, or built into a situation, instead of possessive. 

“I guess… Well, honestly, I need a shower, anyway. Will that wash off the smell?” She asked. 

“It Should,” Bun answered after a moment of thought. 

They finished straightening up, tossing the blanket in the laundry room on the way out, to get the smell out. 

(Y/n) thought for a moment about washing it and taking it back to Red with no smell on it. She wondered if that would be insulting, and chuckled. 

They walked down the gravel road, talking about things, her trying to get him more comfortable with the idea of going into town, him hesitant, but glad that she was still going to be close by. 

(Y/n) waved as Bun continued down the path to his cabin as she turned to where her truck was parked. 

She climbed into the cab and pulled the keys from where she'd stuck them, cranking the engine. 

But nothing happened. 

(Y/n)'s brow wrinkled, and she tried to start it again. 

Still nothing. 

"Ugh," (Y/n) growled, climbing from the truck and popping the hood. Looking down, she didn't see anything that would be obvious; squirrels hadn't chewed through wires, or anything… The fluids were all good… 

She let out a groan in frustration. 

She just wanted to move her truck up by the lodge, since that's where she was going to be staying, and take a shower so she didn't feel gross from wearing her clothes for about twenty-four hours, along with sleeping in them, and wash off the smells that had apparently gotten on her without her knowing. 

She rubbed around where her hip was... 

And for cramps to be a thing that didn’t exist. 

.

Red breathed in the clean air as he made his way home up the gravel road, but his nasal cavity alerted him to something strange, and his hand relaxed on the throttle. 

He smelled himself, off to the side of the path. He stopped, pulling his bike out of the road in case any of those idiots were driving up here and weren’t paying attention. 

Following the trail to the source itself, he came upon (Y/n) bent over the front end of a truck, peering down into the engine. 

Mmm -goddamn- mm! Yes, he _definitely_ wanted some of that! Wanted to walk up behind her, take her hips in his hands and run them down over her, squeeze- 

“Stupid son of a bitch,” she cursed quietly. 

It took him a moment to realize that she’d been muttering to the truck and not him. 

“uh, hey, doll… ya want some help wit that?” He asked as he started moving again and got closer. 

(Y/n) looked up at him, still half turned to the truck, surprise and irritation both clear on her face. 

“i could curse it out fer ya,” he joked, and was pleased when her lips pressed together to hide a laugh and her expression of irritation seemed a little more difficult for her to keep on her face. 

“You know how to fix vehicles?” 

He shrugged and moved closer, peering into the engine. “maybe. i'm th' only one that works on my bike,” he offered. 

“What, um- what would you charge?” She asked carefully. 

Red shrugged, then smirked, stepping closer, sniffing her. “well, normally, i’d charge ya out th’ ass, but… seein’ as ya smell s’good… gimme some sugar an’ i’ll do it fer ya fer free.” He winked and pointed at his jaw as he stated his fee. 

(Y/n) turned back to the engine. “In your dreams, Red.” 

“heh. you should know; ya been walkin’ through ‘em all night, sweetcheeks!” He laughed. 

She rolled her eyes and tried to see if she could make heads or tails of what was happening with her truck. 

“aw, c’mon, i ’s jokin’, ya don’t gotta kiss me- ‘less ya wanna.” He leaned against the bumper next to her. “jus’ gotta ask nice.” 

“Hey, Red,” (Y/n) started sweetly, obviously baiting for a sting, “you ever licked a spark plug?” 

Red held back his laugh, knowing he was about to be told to lick one, and before he could stop himself, he blurted, “that what ya call yer-” he caught himself with a disappointed clench of his teeth. He was trying _not_ to send her packing. 

“Pf- pfft- pffffffftt-” She burst out laughing, the sound ringing around them as she turned her face away. 

He wished she wouldn’t… he kinda wanted to see what she looked like when she laughed and smiled… 

Uh- wait- no- that was a bunch of mushy crap! He… just liked seeing when he flustered people! 

Yeah… 

“That would be a good name for it, I guess.” (Y/n) groaned a little as she rubbed her belly near her hip. Her next words were on a grumble. “Stupid body…” 

“ya- ya ok, there?” 

“Yeah,” she answered, still rubbing and looking irritated. 

“listen, doll ya ain’t gotta pay me, jus’- take what ya need an’ go rest, i’ll do th’ rest,” he insisted. 

“But, I can’t just-” 

“look, i’m gonna make ya buy th’ parts ’r whatever ta fix it, a’right? ya jus’ look like ya need ta lay down ‘r somethin’... don’t need a human fallin’ down up here… too much trouble…” 

(Y/n) studied him for a moment, then accepted by turning to the camper and gathering some of her things. 

As she headed back past, she paused next to him. “Thanks so much, Red, I really appreciate it.” She continued a few steps before turning to him. “Just- don’t scent it, huh? Kinda like the way it smells right now.” 

Red’s sockets widened a bit in surprise, his jaw clenching, then his jaw relaxed and slipped easily into a smirk. “if ya didn’t like it, why’d ya cover yerself in it, sweetheart?” He called after her. 

She sent him a stern look and flipped him off as she walked backwards for a few steps before turning back around and continuing to the lodge. 

He laughed and called after her, “i’d love ta!” Then mumbled quietly to himself, “i’d really fuckin’ love ta- ya have no goddamn idea…” before turning back to the engine in the truck. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The results of the poll are in! Black won this one with a tie in second place for Edge and the threesome tag. There were a few requests Reader with Black and Blue in the threesome one, and also requests for Black with specific things.  
> I'm not sure if I mentioned it in the last one, but I took some of the ideas and worked them all into the story... This time, I'm gong to do the same thing, with Black and Blue as the love interests. I was also inspired by a few of the prompts and made a couple of short one shots... Those will come out some time soon, too. 
> 
> Also a great [comic](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/631651905964228608/hello-quiet-one-nasty-filter-starring-gloomy) inspired from Stretch last chapter by Hello-quiet-one!  
>   
> I wrote another Sans [one shot](https://archiveofourown.org/works/26943694), but with two chapters... and lots of angst... lol.  
>    
> I also got another chapter of [Captive Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097) out.  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	21. Can I have your number?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my glorb! Thank you for all the hits! I appreciate all of you reading, and all of the time you take for the comments and kudos you leave! 💖  
> Sorry this week is a little late, but I hope it's worth it! This one ended up being very long, and I only finished it this morning. 
> 
> Some more time with some of the other skeles, sharing a bit of dirty humor and also there are couple of possibly disturbing jokes in here. I did the whole ~~~ to skip them, but basically it's just two jokes to Axe. Credits to the jokes at the end.

(Y/n) dried off with one of the softest towels she'd ever felt, and got dressed, heading back down to the bottom floor, deciding that she'd better start trying to figure out what needed to be done for her new job so she could make herself a schedule of some sort. 

She looked around, seeing that the card Classic had set on the counter was still there, but left it as she continued to look around the kitchen for things that may need to be stocked. 

The fridge would definitely need some attention, since the only things in it were basic condiments, though in industrial sizes, coffee creamer, a loaf of bread, a crusty tub of cream cheese for bagels that were probably long gone, and a couple of wrinkled apples forgotten in a drawer. 

She knew the pantry wasn't much better; pancake mix, coffee, syrup, a few basic baking things like sugar and flour, some pasta, and a bag with a few potatoes that were starting to try to put down roots. 

Blue had said that one of the things he did was try to keep up with the lodge, and Bun had said that he would be a good one to ask about when to go out, so she sent him a quick message, asking what kinds of things they planned, what their normal routine was, as well as when and where to go shopping. 

She knew how to shop, of course, being a real adult who had to take care of herself, but if she was going to cook for monsters, well… She knew they ate magic rich foods and that there may be some other things they needed a lot of in their diets, so she figured it was better to ask than to accidentally kill someone. 

After that message left, she sent one to Classic asking about the hours and how she was expected to clock in, the normal job related things she could think of, as well as repeating the question about any normal routine they had in place. 

By the time she'd got that message out, Blue had replied. 

**_Blue:_ ** _HI (Y/N)! IT'S NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU AFTER THE DAY I'VE HAD! WE DON'T HAVE A SET SCHEDULE, THOUGH EATING BREAKFAST ALL TOGETHER EVERY DAY IS SOMETHING CREAM AND I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO GET EVERYONE TO DO FOR A LONG TIME, AS WELL AS DINNER TOGETHER, AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK. ALSO GAME NIGHTS, BUT, THEY NEVER GO FOR THAT…_

(Y/n) hummed in thought. 

So. The friendlier two of the group were trying to build happy family memory time, and the others were against it, or, didn't feel like participating, at least. 

Family bonding time would probably be good for these guys, though… 

**_Blue:_ ** _I CAN TAKE YOU SHOPPING TOMORROW, IF YOU WANT TO COME WITH ME. I WAS PLANNING ON HEADING OUT THERE ANYWAY._

(Y/n) sent a message accepting, and asking about days when everyone was off for a game night, then opening a particular app and starting a shopping list. 

There was a loud growling of an engine as a motorcycle pulled up to the lodge, revving for a second before it was shut off, then followed by a knock at the door before it opened, heavy footfalls coming back toward the kitchen to reveal Red, wiping his hands on a filthy cloth. 

“hey sweetheart, feelin’ better?” He asked. 

(Y/n) gave a half shrug, making a note to get a few things for herself, since she only had two or three pads that she could find, with one already placed in anticipation, and had run out of tampons. 

Maybe she’d give one of those menstrual cups a shot; she’d heard good things. Could be better than her other options for running around somewhere so huge and possibly being away from inside bathrooms and stuff for long periods of time if she had to go out over the grounds. 

“well, uh, pretty sure i figured out what’s wrong wit yer truck, ‘least.” (Y/n) looked at him in question, and he tossed the black stained cloth on the counter. “how long’s it been since ya started it up?” 

“Um…” (Y/n)’s brow scrunched as she tried to remember. Probably since before she was stuck at Sans and Bun’s house, maybe even longer… “It’s been a while…” 

“mm,” Red nodded. “yeah. yer battery’s drained. happens faster in th’ cold, ‘specially when ya don’t run it fer a bit. dunno if it’s dead, or jus’ outta juice, but th’ shop has a thing that’ll tell ya.” 

(Y/n) hummed in discontent. Without her truck, she’d have to walk. “Damn it… if I leave _now_ , I might be able to get there by the time they open tomorrow,” she grumbled. 

“or, an’ this’s jus’ a suggestion, doll, ya could ask fer a ride,” Red told her. 

She looked him over, a bit suspiciously. Red didn’t seem like someone to do anything unless he got something for his trouble, no matter how small the inconvenience. “Why would you do that? What would you be getting out of it?” 

Red lifted a brow bone and shifted, his hands balling in his pockets. She was so on guard around him. It was ridiculous, particularly because Blue had actually done things like holding her against her will -while he was the one who’d gotten her out of his hold!- and she still got close to _him_. 

That damn baby faced manipulator. 

It was pissing him off. 

“well, i gotta go down ta th’ shop t’morrow anyway; got a specialty part that jus’ came in fer my bike,” he told her. 

“Don’t you have to work tomorrow?” 

Red chuckled, and the way it shaped his features actually put (Y/n) a little more at ease. “t’morrow’s saturday, doll. i don’t care _how much_ they try ta pull me in, i a’ready set everythin’ up ta be able ta have th' damn weekend off.” 

“Tomorrow’s Saturday…?” She pulled out her phone and tapped it so she could view the day. 

Yep. It read Friday… huh… She’d definitely lost track of the days… 

Come to think of it, Blue had said that he’d be going shopping tomorrow… she’d assumed that he meant after work, though. 

Red started laughing, not his regular heh heh, but a real belly laugh. “heh! even i ain’t lazy ‘nough ta lose track a what fuckin’ day it is!” 

(Y/n) glared at him, but she actually kind of liked the way that his expression had changed. He looked a _lot_ more approachable like this. 

“Well, excuse me, if I had to stay locked up like a fairytale princess in a tower because some nutso skeletons wanted to nut in me.” 

Red laughed harder, starting to wheeze. “heh heh! course they did! fairytale princesses are prime real estate fer nuttin’!” He exclaimed before laughing to himself, “doll’s got some -heh heh- good fuckin’ -heh heh heh- jokes -heh!” 

(Y/n) crossed her arms and tried to keep her serious demeanor. “And if someone came up to you while you were- um, _with the princess_ , and asked you what you were doing?” She mimicked his accent with an over exaggeration and answered herself, “nuttin’,” before she poked her tongue between her teeth and winced hard, one eye twitching, pulling a face that would fit right in in the Lonely Island “jizz in my pants” music video. 

Red couldn’t take it; he let out a loud laugh and fell back against the dining table, his phalanges clutching at his coat and shorts as he filled the room with mirth. “oh stars- sweetheart, i ‘s worried ya -heh heh heh- didn’t have a sense a -heh heh- humor- but y’re a fuckin _riot!”_

(Y/n) leaned back against the counter, a small smile quirking the corner of her lips. 

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad accepting this job… 

Red was still a pervert, but at least he didn’t seem to be as much of an asshole as he’d first appeared to be. 

“Hey, Red, do you need anything from the store?” (Y/n) asked, pulling up the app she’d been making her shopping list on. 

Between laughs, she managed to understand, “nah, can’t think a nothin’- heh- can’t think a _nuttin’_ ,” he corrected himself, followed by another burst of laughter. “here, lemme give ya my number, so we can plan when ta get up ta town.” 

(Y/n) opened a new contact and typed in his info before sending him a text message so that he’d have her number. 

“a’right, i- -heh heh- i gotta get home ‘fore my bro gets pissed. i’ll see ya in th’ mornin’, doll!” And with that, he turned and left, taking his motorcycle and walking it down the path so he didn’t crash from how hard he was still laughing and shaking. 

(Y/n) stood there for a moment, thinking over the interaction, before returning to her list. 

When she’d finished, she decided that she should ask everyone else if they needed anything, opening her contacts, only to realize that she didn’t have most of their numbers… 

Well, looked like she’d just have to go ask in person this time and get the rest of the skeletons’ numbers. 

And invite them all to breakfast in the morning. She liked the thought of having a big breakfast for everyone, and if they had already been trying to make it happen, maybe she could help. 

(Y/n) set off to the first cabin, finding Cream there and that it was his and Classic’s home. 

As she was inputting Cream’s number, she got a message from his brother. 

**_Classy:_ ** _hey. can talk to ya a bit if ya want to meet later._

She chuckled and messaged back quickly. 

**_Me:_ ** _Hey, I’m at your house right now, actually._

**_Classy:_ ** _i’m not, though. still at work._

(Y/n) let out a huff of laughter, and looked up to say goodbye to Cream. 

“GOODBYE, HUMAN! I’LL MAKE SURE THAT MY LAZY BROTHER IS UP EARLY ENOUGH TO ENJOY BREAKFAST WITH US ALL! I’M VERY EXCITED THAT YOU’RE ON OUR SIDE TO GET THIS ALL GOING!” He gave her a thumbs up and a conspiratorial look, but it just made her smile, thinking of an innocent kid trying to plan pranks or keep secrets. 

“Ok, see you then, have a good night, Cream,” she called over her shoulder as she started to the next cabin, getting a loud ‘you too’ before the door closed loudly. 

A thought occurred to her as she continued to the next cabin. Cream had said that his brother was lazy, but… he had left for work this morning, at the same time as Red… 

Not only was that about ten hours before, but Red was home, and he was still at work… 

Working ten plus hours a day was not lazy, she could attest to that, and didn’t recommend it to anyone. 

Unless they could get a job with four ten hour shifts. That wouldn’t be so bad, probably… 

When she got to the next cabin, Edge opened the door, sending a nearly hostile glare down at her. 

“WHAT DO YOU WANT?” He demanded. 

“Um, I’m going shopping tomorrow, and I was wondering if you needed anything. Oh! And I was going to get your number, so that I could text you next time,” she told him. He only added suspicion to his expression, and she felt justified for thinking that his brother had seemed like the kind of person who would only do things for something in return. “Um… and also to invite you to breakfast in the morning…?” 

“WHAT IS IT THAT YOU REALLY WANT?” 

“I… just told you…” (Y/n) answered uncertainly. 

“YOU WANT MY NUMBER?” She nodded. “THEN GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER AND I’LL THINK ABOUT WHETHER CONTACTING YOU SO THAT YOU HAVE MINE IS WORTHWHILE,” he huffily declared.

“Wow, ok, Edgelord, lord of edges,” (Y/n) muttered half to herself. 

“WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL ME?” He demanded, used to insults from his own previous home, but surprised by the lack of bite or rude intent in her tone. 

“I called you, ‘Edgelord, lord of all the edges,’” she repeated, meeting his look straight on. 

Edge didn’t know what to say or do. Being called a lord wasn’t a bad thing; the Mutt called his brother ’lord’… Being an ‘edgelord’, though… maybe it wasn’t so bad…? After all, he was trying to be edgy… 

He decided to ruin her insult and take it as a compliment. 

“Are you going to take out your phone so I can give you my number?” (Y/n) asked after a moment, and Edge’s expression fell from victorious to a bit flustered. 

She’d actually intended to give him her number…? 

He quickly took his phone out, sniffing, “I WAS WAITING TO SEE IF YOU WOULD BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO ACTUALLY DO IT.” 

She muttered a “suuuuuuure,” to herself and gave him her number, living through a ‘I DON’T NEED ANYTHING FROM SOMEONE SO WEAK’ and ‘IF YOU’RE GOING TO RUIN GOOD COOKING’S NAME WITH STORE BOUGHT MIX TRASH, WHY WOULD I WASTE MY TIME’ before rolling her eyes and continuing to the next cabin.

No one was home at the next cabin, so she continued her way down, passing one that had obviously been destroyed, if the nearly collapsed roof was any indication. 

The next one she was pretty sure was Black and Mutt’s, since there was only another destroyed cabin, this one actually mostly collapsed, and the last was Sans and Bun’s. 

She was walking toward the porch, when a movement near to the edge of the trees caught her attention. 

“don’t go up there, little lamb.” 

Sans was watching her with his one large red eyelight, the smaller white one nearly invisible. 

“Hi, Sans,” (Y/n) greeted, changing direction toward him, instead. 

Sans’ nasal cavity twitched as a smell wafted to him. Something familiar… Something… delicious… He couldn’t quite put his phalange on it, though it seemed to take up most of his life. 

“Sans, you ok?” 

Sans’ eyelight was drawn back to (Y/n), his mind jolting back to the present. 

Blood. 

His gaze raked over her, trying to find anything that may be an injury, even the smallest one- he’d dust those idiots if they’d-

Wait.

That’s right; humans’ mating cycles… heat, a calm space of time, and then bleeding. 

So she was at the bleeding part. That would also explain why it was recognizablly blood, but still smelled a bit different. 

“Sans?” 

The concern in her voice was so sweet…

The smell… 

“i’m fine,” he answered. “but you won’t be if ya go up there…” 

“Sans, I… I’m sorry things were so tense between us,” she took a step closer, trying to make up, it seemed. 

“ya got nothin’ ta be sorry about,” he interrupted. “you’re not the one that almost killed the other.” 

“Sans,” another step closer, “I still want to be friends-” 

“what the hell’s wrong with you,” Sans growled. “i know you’ve got some survival instincts; ya managed ta get past me when we met.” 

“What do you mean?” (Y/n) asked as she stopped moving forward. 

Sans let out a growl. “are ya really that stupid?” He bit out, then chuckled. “heh... even someone with _half their skull missing_ would know i’m dangerous and take this as a chance ta stay away from me, not try ta _patch it up_ , lamb.” 

She lifted a brow, unimpressed and visibly a bit irritated. “Well, only someone with _a hole in their head_ would think that some stupid accident was a good reason to quit a friendship.” 

A snort of laughter escaped Sans at her joke, but he was still too damn dangerous to be around her. She _needed_ to understand that, she _needed_ to stay away from him! “heh... ya know how cannibals get cruelty free meat, _little lamb_?” He only paused a moment, not giving her enough time to think it through, “it’s labeled, ‘died _human_ ely.’” 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Y/n)’s eyes narrowed at him, and she just looked at him for a moment before she spoke. “A little boy was sitting at the dinner table next to his mother, looking unhappy. Finally, he told his mother, mama, I hate my brother’s guts! His mother looked at him and snapped, shut up and keep eating what’s in front of you.” 

Sans’ eyelight shrank and expanded like a lens attempting to focus. “what’re ya-” 

“A little boy was running around the house, with _way_ too much energy, annoying his mother, so she found the perfect punishment. Mama, why do I have to keep walking in circles, he whined. Shut up, or I’ll nail your other foot to the floor,” (Y/n) growled in a rude voice, obviously supposed to be the mother in the joke. 

~~~~~

Sans had to hold back his snickering. He was supposed to be scaring her away from him, not laughing at her deranged jokes… 

Arms lifted in front of him, and he realized that she was going to hug him. 

That was dangerous- but she’d already managed it by the time he’d thought of a way to stop her without hurting her. 

“stop, step back, lamb,” Sans told her. It was _not_ a good idea for her to be so close to him smelling the way she did right now. 

She hugged him tighter, her face buried in the shoulder of his jacket, her soft body pressing tight against him, the smell of her, natural, her soaps, and blood, filling his nasal cavity. 

“ya need ta step back, little lamb,” he told her, controlling the growl trying to make its way into his voice. 

“No, not until we’re friends again.” 

Her voice vibrated through his bones, sending pleasant feelings through him that made him grit his jaw tightly. Sans’ arms lifted, his hands resting on her waist, phalanges twisting into the fabric of her shirt, clenching around it and tearing small holes in it. 

It was better than doing it to the soft flesh of her hips just below his hands, though. 

“lamb,” he tried not to growl, but it still came out harshly. He could feel his magic reacting, his body becoming ready- the smell of her was making him crazier than usual. 

“Be my friend Sans, that’s the only way I’m letting go,” she told him. 

Could she feel the way his magic was forming?! He was sure it was starting to bulge! The only thoughts going through his mind right now were how soft she was, how good she smelled- how much he’d love to throw her down and rip her bottoms from her and find the source of the smell, licking the redness from the trickling fountain- 

He needed to stop! 

It had been a long, long while, but he was pretty sure this was how it felt when a heat was starting. 

Fuck! 

His hands tightened their grip in her shirt. “f-fine,” he told her, holding as still as possible, “we’re friends. now step back, little lamb- b’fore the big bad wolf gets ya.” 

(Y/n) stepped back, giving him a big smile, happy that they had made up, but the only thing going through Sans’ mind at the sight was how he’d love to fuck her seven ways from Sunday, rutting into her until she wouldn’t be able to walk in the morning. 

Shit… he needed to get away from her. He could barely focus on what she was saying. 

“So, are you going to come to breakfast in the morning?” 

“hard ta turn down food,” he muttered. 

“It would be a good coercing point, then huh?” She teased.

He’d love to coerce her, against the tree, even if she was nervous, he’d- 

No! 

Damn it! 

Sans was barely able to make it through giving her his number before escaping to his room. He was going to have to isolate himself for a bit… 

(Y/n) watched Sans rushing off back toward his cabin for a moment, then turned back to the cabin she’d originally been heading toward. 

As she got to the door, it only took one knock before it opened. Black must have heard her talking to Sans and had been waiting at the door. 

Not creepy at all… 

“HUMAN! YOU’VE FINALLY REACHED MY DOOR! IT TOOK YOU SO LONG TO GET HERE, I THOUGHT YOU HAD TAKEN A PAGE ON LAZINESS OUT OF MY WORTHLESS BROTHER’S BOOK!” He exclaimed as he grabbed her hand and pulled her into the cabin. 

(Y/n) looked around, seeing that the cabin was set up pretty much the same as the other two she’d been in; a couch under the window, a tv across from it, the kitchen to the side, stairs leading up to where she assumed the bedrooms were. It was very clean, but also decorated in bold, dark colors, the couch seeming to be an expensive, stylish model, the tv also seeming top of the line. 

It made her wonder if they actually appreciated the newest in technology, or if they got it because it was the newest, and therefore the “best”. 

“MUTT! LOOK, THE HUMAN HAS ARRIVED!” Black called into the living room to where Mutt was sitting. 

“so she has, m’lord,” the low reply came, his dark orange eyelights following her as she entered the room. 

“COME, HUMAN PET, HAVE A SEAT NEXT TO THE WORTHLESS MUTT! _I_ WILL GET YOU A BEVERAGE AND A SNACK, AS _I_ AM THE BEST HOST IN EXISTENCE!” Black declared as he turned to the kitchen. 

“right you are, m’lord,” the taller skeleton agreed from his lazy position, slouching and nearly laying on the couch with his long legs reaching out into the room. 

(Y/n) sat on the couch next to him, taking a breath, but holding back her sigh. At least he was being friendly- or trying to be, anyway. 

She could feel Mutt’s eyelights on her and took another breath, reminding herself that in these situations, when around new people that were of uncertain intentions, how you presented yourself was the easiest part of having an easy time. 

She drew herself up and turned to meet Mutt’s eyelights head on. 

“So,” she started, pulling through her mind for a subject. “Papyrus, right?” 

He made an indistinct noise. 

“Your name isn’t really Mutt,” she said it as a comment, but he only made another indistinct noise. “So… is there anything other than ‘Mutt’ that you want to be called? It seems a bit rude.” More like an insult than a name, especially when his brother called her ‘pet.’ Like they were both animals and beneath him.

“mutt’s fine,” he told her, leaning over so that, while his boots were still both flat on the ground, his shoulder was almost touching her and his eyelights were even with her eyes. “but, if ya wanna, ya can call me _woof_ ,” he intoned with a suggestive wink. 

(Y/n) rolled her eyes, but didn’t let him out of her sight. “I see why your name is mutt…” His sharp grin was still laid back and suggestive, until she prodded at his collar with her words. 

“nnnn,” a soft sound along the lines of a growl left him. “careful, there, darlin’,” he warned with a deep, husky tone. “touchin’ a man’s collar’s kinda forward, ‘specially when ya ain’t even been on a first date, yet.” 

“Uh… sorry,” she told him, taking her hand back. “Didn’t know.” 

Mutt caught her hand, stroking his long phalange over her the back. 

“MUTT! BACK OFF OF THE HUMAN!” Black scolded as he entered with a tray that he placed on a small side table after offering it to them so they could take their drinks, Mutt taking his hand back as he took his, then handed (Y/n) a small plate with obviously store bought cookies. 

“sorry, of course, m’lord,” Mutt murmured and drank from his glass. 

(Y/n) sat the plate on her knees and politely took a bite of one of the cookies. “Mmm, these are delicious,” she commented, looking up to see Black’s face gaining a bit of a burgundy glow. “Where did you get them?” 

Black seemed to be struggling a little at keeping his aloof attitude with the genuine praise, but pushed through. “THEY ARE FROM MUFFET’S. I WOULD HAVE MADE SOMETHING FOR YOUR VISIT, HOWEVER YOU GAVE NO NOTICE OF YOUR COMING. MOST INCONSIDERATE, PET,” he scolded. 

(Y/n) had to work at holding back her snort and eyeroll. How pompous could you get! “Oh, sorry, _M’lord_ ,” she snarked sarcastically, taking a sip of her drink. 

Mutt snorted in amusement, but Black’s blush grew brighter. 

“DON’T TAKE THE REPRIMAND TOO BADLY, PET, YOU’LL LEARN PROPER MANNERS SOON ENOUGH!” Black assured her. 

“Right. Anyway, the reason I came out here is that I’m going shopping tomorrow, and wondered if you needed me to pick up anything for you guys,” (Y/n) told him as she took another bite of her cookie. 

Mutt leaned a bit closer and lifted a cookie from the plate on her knees. 

“MUTT! DON’T TOUCH THE HUMAN’S SNACK!” Black ordered. 

“sorry, m’lord,” he murmured, though (Y/n) could tell that there was no remorse in any part of his tone or posture as he continued to eat the cookie. 

“I TAKE CARE OF EVERYTHING PERFECTLY WELL, PET, DON’T I, MUTT!” 

“right again, m’lord,” Mutt put in. 

“Um, alright. Then, I just wanted to get your numbers so that I could message you next time,” she told them, pulling out her phone. 

“YOU- WANTED- OF COURSE YOU WANTED MY NUMBER! YOU SHOULD COUNT YOURSELF SO LUCKY IF YOU WERE TO GET THE NUMBER OF ONE AS GREAT AS I!” Black declared, flustered. 

(Y/n) didn’t move, just amazed at how he could show such seeming vulnerability through all of the tough, confident front. 

“W-WELL? AREN’T YOU GOING TO GET YOUR PHONE READY SO YOU CAN COUNT YOURSELF LUCKY?!” His face was even brighter. 

“Oh, yeah, of course,” (Y/n) said as she pulled up a new contact entry. 

After inputting both brother’s contacts, Mutt leaned closer again, suggestively asking, “this fer if we need anythin’? ‘cludin’ not grocery things?” 

“MUTT! BACK YOUR DISGUSTING INNUENDOS AWAY FROM MY PET!”

“yes, sorry, m’lord,” Mutt murmured, still locking gazes with her. 

“Right… well, it’s been great, but, uh, I’m going to get going, now.” (Y/n) handed the plate to Mutt and the glass to Black as she stood. “Oh, right. We’re going to try to do a big breakfast tomorrow, if you guys want to come.” 

“OF COURSE YOU’D INVITE US; WHAT PET WOULDN’T WANT TO FAVOR THEIR LORD WITH OFFERINGS OF MEALS!” Black seemed to be trying to gloat. 

“Still not your pet, Black,” she told him. “Not now, not ever.” 

“WE WILL SEE ABOUT THAT!” He declared. 

(Y/n) walked back up the road, jumping when her phone went off in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw a message from Classic saying that he wasn’t going to be home for a while, still, and if she wanted to talk, they could do it tomorrow. 

She sent back a quick message agreeing and letting him know about breakfast in the morning. 

She cooked up a bit of this and that from the scraps in the kitchen for dinner and ate at the bar, messaging Bun and Blue as she ate at the bar counter.

When she’d finished, she cleaned up and headed up to get ready for bed, finding that the red flow had started and she already had to change to another of her precious pads. She was glad that she was going to be able to get more tomorrow, since she’d be on the last or next to last one. Maybe she _would_ try that cup. Not much to lose, at least. 

.

(Y/n) would swear, the plan for that night had been to sleep without the blanket that smelled like Red and wash it when she could get a load of laundry together- it really, honestly was, but… with the way her uterus was organizing a mosh pit riot for one, really starting to ramp up the pain, she started to remember the comforting way the blanket had made her feel, which was why she’d cuddled up with it on the couch earlier in the first place… 

It was two hours of tossing and turning before she’d given in and fetched it from the laundry to cuddle up in. 

She still hurt, it wasn’t like it made all of the pain vanish, but it did seem to soothe it a bit. 

She gave an aggravated sigh as she held the blanket tighter to her. Why did it have to be _his_ smell that comforted her? 

She remembered how easily she’d fallen asleep on Stretch at his and Blue’s house, passing out on the couch and waking up laying across him. 

Or… maybe all of the skeletons' smells would make her feel comfortable? Though she had a hard time imagining that from Sans, even if maybe he didn’t make her _as_ nervous anymore. 

Maybe only certain ones, then… Hmmm… 

She let out a chuckle as the situation actually reminded her of one of her clients, a kid who always whined that her blanket was stinky, repetitively saying how bad it smelled, but, for all her complaint, she refused to let them wash it, keeping it in her grasp until they had a special movie night so that they could wash it, bribing her with letting her watch any kind of movie she wanted. 

She’d always wanted spooky movies, and more than once she’d had to be talked out of Silence of the Lambs, but luckily, (Y/n) had been able to share with her a lot of the older horror movies that weren’t so graphic, and when her eighteenth birthday had come, she’d declared that she was old enough and didn’t care what they said, and they honestly couldn’t stop her because of human rights, but luckily, even though she was mentally closer to a six year old, she didn’t have any problem with them, and soon became (Y/n)'s horror movie buddy. 

A sudden thought occurred to (Y/n), and she pulled her phone to her to search through her contacts. 

Maybe- just maybe… she could show Bun that not everyone would be afraid of him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red is definitely my spirit animal in this one... My shift wasn't even over on Friday before someone was trying to get me to take their Saturday shift! No- I want time off! Ugggh!  
> Credit for the half a skull goes partially to my guy, I did change it a bit to fit. Credit for the cannibal joke goes to Gloomy! And my psychologist actually told me the two "Mama" jokes back when I was in middle/ high school, and the rest are from me lol.
> 
> I wrote something short for [Stretch](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27086926), based on a prompt that came in the suggestions for the next one shot, thought I'd put it out now.  
> I also got another chapter of [Captive Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097) out.  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	22. (Y/n) WILL "Staff" you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mutt gets jealous at how many of the other skeletons have hugged (Y/n), Axe is being himself, Bun wants to help, but has trouble seeing, and everyone else is there, too... Though it's really Edge who's causing problems, Black's probably not helping, though, and (Y/n)'s going to solve them... maybe by resorting to some Staff techniques... (they look ridiculously like mothering techniques... but used on adults... lol)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok... so... know how much of this chapter was _actually_ supposed to be in here?! Not much of it! Just the fact that they were all eating breakfast, and Classic talking to her about the job duties... the other few thousand words? Not supposed to be there... AND! Not supposed to make it so long that I had to split this chapter in two! And still had them turn out over six times longer than a single normal chapter! Plus, now I have to put them both out at the same time to keep on track for spooky stuff on Halloween... which is going to be huge, too, by how it's turning out already.  
> Thank you guys for all the love you're giving this story! I love every comment, and grin when the hits go up so fast lol.

(Y/n) woke up, taking another quick shower to get whatever of Red’s scent had gotten on her overnight from the blanket off, and hurried downstairs to see that no one had gotten there, yet. 

She picked through the potatoes to see how many were usable, and it seemed like just enough of them were that they might be able to have a small portion of potatoes with their pancakes, so she got to work salvaging what she could. 

Blue was the first to arrive, bringing sausage links, that (Y/n) immediately pulled out a pan for, and Stretch, following slowly after his brother, dug around in a tall cupboard and found another small coffee maker, setting it up with his own ground darkness. 

“(Y/N),” Blue, grinned up at her, opening his arms for a hug. “GOOD MORNING!” 

(Y/n) stuck her hand out, landing directly in the center of his chest and stopping him as he moved forward. 

He looked up at her in confusion and hurt. “N-NO HUGS…?” 

“No scenting,” she told him, “therefore, no hugs.” 

Blue at least had the decency to look scolded. “UUUUHHH, I… S-Sorry… I DIDN’T MEAN TO OFFEND YOU…” 

“Hugs don’t offend me, Blue, trying to claim me like property offends me,” she told him. 

“I! I DIDN’T DO THAT!” Blue cried. “I CLAIMED YOU AS A FRIEND!” 

(Y/n) gave him a look in disbelief as she put the sausages in the now heated pan. “Hm? Because it seems the smell Red left was a sort of… uh- _more than friend_ claim…” She felt a bit of embarrassment at that. 

“NO! WELL… KINDA, I GUESS… IT WAS HIS HEAT SCENT, WHICH _IS_ A CLAIM, BUT NOT… NOT EXACTLY HOW… HM… PAPPY! PLEASE EXPLAIN,” he called to his brother. 

“‘s like when ya find the perfect scent ya like for your house and ya only get that smell. so, later, when ya smell that smell, ya feel safe and comforted. that’s what a heat scent is, ‘cept it’s just your scent instead of flowers or whatever. puttin’ your smell _on_ someone is like sayin’ that they’re part of your family, you claim them as family,” Stretch told her. “or… uh… as a mate,” he murmured to himself, low enough that he hoped that she didn’t heat. 

“Oh,” she tilted her head as she thought over that. 

“YEAH! AND I DIDN’T WANT HIM TO HAVE SINGULAR RIGHTS, SO I PUT A MARK, TOO!” He stopped, looking like he’d just accidentally betrayed himself. 

“What’s that mean; singular rights?” She asked suspiciously, not looking at him from the food she was cooking. 

Stretch didn’t say anything when Blue looked to him for help, giving a small shrug. 

“means, little blue, here, didn’t want red ta be the only one ya’d consider as a ‘snuggle buddy’ b’fore he had a chance at ya. in’t that right,” Mutt teased, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, explaining as he sidled up next to (Y/n) and got extremely close. 

(Y/n) leaned back and lifted the spatula in her hand to smack at Mutt if she needed to, but Black got to him before she did, smacking him in the back of the skull with a thrown package of bacon. 

“STEP AWAY FROM THE PET, MUTT! SHE NEEDS TIME TO GET USED TO US FIRST!” 

Mutt gave a grin and bent to get the bacon that had fallen to the floor, standing straight to give it to her, but being even closer this time. 

“MUTT!” Black yelled, and grabbed a dish towel, smacking at him with it. 

Mutt kept a grin to her as he took a step back, though he glared down at Blue when the shorter skeleton stepped between them, fists clenched and ready to fight. 

Stretch stepped forward behind his brother a little anxiously, and Black stepped between Mutt and Blue, glaring at one, then the other, putting his hand out behind him to push against Mutt, his eyes still meeting Blue’s as he backed away. 

When he’d put enough distance between them, Black turned to (Y/n). 

“ACCEPT THIS," he gestured to the bacon, "AS CONTRIBUTION, AS I WAS UNCERTAIN OF YOUR FOOD STOCKS, AS YOU SAID THAT YOU WERE GOING SHOPPING TODAY, AND I KNOW THAT _CERTAIN_ SKELETONS KEEP THIS PLACE _BARE BONES_ INSTEAD OF WELL _STOCK_ ED.” He and Blue shared another glare before Black turned back to Mutt, smacking him with the towel again as he yelled at him, “DO I HAVE TO GET THE LEASH TO DRAG YOU AROUND AGAIN, YOU WORTHLESS MUTT?! BEHAVE!” 

“Um, thanks,” (Y/n) answered. 

“YOU’RE WELCOME, PET!” His skull was a bit flushed, blushing. “THINK NOTHING OF IT! IT IS MY DUTY TO PROVIDE FOR MY PET, AFTER ALL!” 

“SHE’S NOT YOUR PET,” Blue snapped, just short of growling, but correcting Black before she had a chance. 

“DON’T BE JEALOUS BECAUSE YOU CAN’T PROVIDE FOR HER PROPERLY!” Black seemed to gloat. 

“I CAN, TOO-!” Blue tried to defend, but Black cut him off. 

“OH, REALLY?! AND WHICH ONE OF US HAS ACTUALLY _BEEN_ A CAPTAIN IN THE ROYAL GUARD?” 

The look on Black’s face was smug, while Blue’s was very angry, turning a brighter blue by the minute. 

Stretch seemed to be giving Mutt a warning glare, and Mutt rolled his eyes, as though the other skeleton was ruining his fun, but put his hand on Black’s shoulder with a quiet, “m’lord.” 

“A dolphin!” (Y/n) cried, causing all of the skeletons present to look at her in utter confusion. “I’m not a pet, and I can speak for myself.” She looked from Black to Blue. 

There was a collective murmuring of question. 

“That was getting way too heated, way too fast,” (Y/n) said by way of explanation. “You guys need to take a step back from each other. Like, if I was your mom I’d be telling you to go to opposite corners.” 

Mutt snickered. 

“There’s a corner for you, too, Mutt,” (Y/n) pointed out. 

“aw, darlin’, i-” 

“It’s right there,” she pointed. 

Stretch snickered this time, and (Y/n)’s eye swiftly moved to him, only for him to be not paying attention and looking away from her innocently. 

Blue turned around and was about to wrap his arms around (Y/n), but she again stopped him. 

“No jealousy marking, Blue,” she scolded. 

Blue grit his teeth and turned back to Black, who’d been surprisingly quiet this whole time. “YOU! OUTSIDE!” He demanded, pointing from Black to the door. “I’LL SHOW YOU WHO BELONGS IN THE ROYAL GUARD!”

“MY PLEASURE!” Black declared with a wicked grin, and the two rushed out through the back door. 

Mutt watched (Y/n) cooking for a bit as Stretch sat so he had a view through the window to the back area, giving her a moment to calm down before stepping closer. 

“Mutt, I _will_ put you in the corner if I need to.” 

“aw, darlin’, i only wanna hold ya ‘cause ya look so soft,” he murmured. 

“she is,” Stretch commented from his seat. 

“how would _you_ know,” Mutt asked suspiciously from next to her. 

Stretch just gave a smirk and a, “nyeh heh,” in answer. 

“oh, now that just ain’t fair, darlin',” Mutt complained. 

(Y/n) shrugged. “Life isn’t fair, Mutt.” 

The front door opened and Bun came into the kitchen followed soon after by Sans. 

“I Brought Herbs In Case You Needed Them For Anything, (Y/n),” Bun told her, getting close and handing them to her before wrapping her in a hug. 

“Hi Bun!” She greeted, hugging him back with a big smile. 

“ah, he gets a hug? now that _really_ in’t fair, darlin’. seems axe an’ i are the only ones ya haven’t hugged in the room.” 

“think again, mutt,” Sans chuckled, flashing him a half manic smile from where he seemed to be staying a good distance from (Y/n). 

Mutt let out a soft growl, looking over at (Y/n). “jus’ me, then? ya _are_ playin’ a game of souls, then.” 

“What?” (Y/n) asked, gasping in surprise as Bun picked her up and moved her as he heard Mutt moving toward them, giving him a wary look over his shoulder. 

Sans was suddenly there at their side, glaring at Mutt, but spoke to (Y/n). “caught ya a rabbit, lamb,” he told her as he held up a dead rabbit. He seemed to be threatening Mutt with it somehow. 

No wonder these guys couldn’t get together for a meal. 

“Uh, thanks, Sans… you want to… go clean and skin it outside?” She asked, not wanting to have that going on in the kitchen as they were eating. 

Sans went out through the door, sending threatening glares at a seemingly impassive Mutt, and shortly after, Blue and Black came in, both calling for their brothers. 

“PAPY!” 

“MUTT!” 

“sup, bro?” 

“yes, m’lord?” 

The door opened and another set of brothers entered, though they couldn’t tell who until they got back to the kitchen. 

“Bun, Bun! The pancakes!” (Y/n) cried, and he put her down to go tend to them. 

Cream and Classic entered the kitchen, Cream coming up to the stove with a carton in hand. 

"GOOD MORNING HUMAN!" He greeted. "I BROUGHT EGGS, IN CASE THERE WEREN'T ANY ALREADY HERE!" 

(Y/n) gave him a smile and took the carton. "Thanks, Cream. That'll be handy; there weren't any." 

"lemme guess, ya already hugged those two, too, huh, darlin'?" Mutt jokingly accused from his seat next to his brother at the table. 

(Y/n) had to pause to think about it. "Um…" 

"YES, WE HUGGED AT YOUR INTERVIEW, AFTER- After It Went A Bit Sideways…" Cream agreed. 

"Oh, right," she nodded. "And Classic hugged me that first day we met." 

"yep." 

Mutt seemed to have a bit of a glower on his normally neutral or slightly amused face. 

Blue got up and walked over to the stove, offering to help with the quickly overwhelming amount of food that was starting to pile up. 

(Y/n) had him take over all the plates and utensils while Bun helped get them and a few glasses and mugs down, filling the mugs with the coffee that had been brewed by the two coffee makers, as well as pulling out some tea bags for a few of them, and getting the large containers of condiments out of the fridge and putting them on the table. 

Classic stepped towards her to discuss the terms of her employment, but stayed on the other side of the island from her. He knew that his heat was due to be coming soon, and he didn't want to chance getting aggressive while everyone was all together in the kitchen; that would be a bad time. 

Strangely, though, Sans didn't feel aggressive. This close to it, he was normally starting to get snappy and needing his space, but he felt as normal as, well, normal. 

He watched for a moment as (Y/n) supervised his brother who had decided to help her cook, protesting a bit when she reigned him back in from trying to go overboard. 

"So, about the job," (Y/n) started, and Classic hummed in agreement to start the conversation. 

"for the duties, honestly, it's not much, odds and ends, help picking up the slack here and there, but it is kinda sporadic hours. we all tend to work a lot, and mostly durin' the time when places are open, so if, say, we needed some service to come out here, you'd be here to let ‘em get to what they're doin’, call places that needed to be contacted, probably keep track of the paperwork we have to do every month, and if ya paid the bills it would take a lot off our plates, too. sometimes we forget to go shopping for food, or are too tired, plus axe and his bro don't like goin’ into town, so they need most of their stuff gotten for 'em. someone might ask ya to come help out by cleaning somethin’ or help set somethin’ up, taking care of the lodge… ya will get time off; we won't call ya in the middle of the night, unless it's an emergency, and as long as ya got all the important stuff done, and we don't call ya 'cause we need somethin', your time is your own." 

"And I can turn down requests, like if someone wants me to do something I'm not comfortable with?" 

Classic tilted his skull in question. "what do ya think we'd ask ya to do that ya wouldn't be comfortable with?" 

(Y/n) shrugged, turning the stove back down and reminding Cream not to turn it too high. "I don't know, like come wash their car in a bikini, cook for them in just an apron, tell me to come act like their pet," she gave a pointed glance to where Black was sitting. 

Classic hummed in understanding. "'course ya can refuse any unreasonable requests. you're an employee, not a slave, or a toy." 

"Sounds fair," (Y/n) agreed. 

"still think the pay is too much," he joked. 

"Well, I take it the pay will be salary, since I'll pretty much always be on the clock, like a nanny or something," she commented, and he agreed. "So get me the monthly salary payment total and I'll decide."

"alright," Classic agreed, glad he'd had such a clear head for this conversation. "i'll get the papers drawn up for the employment contract, um- but, uh… ya mind if we wait a bit; i'm going to be kinda indisposed for a bit…" 

(Y/n) noticed how he gained a bit of a blue glow to his cheeks. "By what?" She asked in confusion. 

Classic stumbled a bit with his words, and in the end, Cream was the one who answered. 

"He's Going To Have His Heat Soon, So He Won't Be Able To Think About Anything In Great Detail." 

(Y/n) hummed in understanding. "Why so quiet about it? Don't you all have heats?" 

"My Brother Is Somewhat Embarrassed By The Nature Of His Being," Cream teased as he started off to find the tea kettle. 

"thanks, bro," Classic grumbled. 

"NO PROBLEM," Cream called cheerfully, needling his brother. 

The door opened again and the walls echoed the sound of stomping. 

Edge stopped next to (Y/n), holding a large bowl of sliced fruit, mostly melons it looked like. 

"I BROUGHT THIS SO THAT THERE WOULD BE SOMETHING _DECENT_ TO EAT, SOMETHING NOT BLAND OR FULL OF GREASE." 

"Um, thanks, Edge. Will you put it on the table, please?" She asked, turning to flip a pancake, thankfully getting to the end of the bowl of batter. 

"and you've hugged these two, too, i bet," Mutt accused, though his tone was neutral. 

Edge glared at Mutt. " _EXCUSE_ ME?! I HAVE _NOT_ HUGGED THE HUMAN!" He declared, letting a distasteful eyelight move over her. "DON'T BE DISGUSTING!" He lifted his free hand and shoved at (Y/n)'s shoulder, sending her sprawling with a squawk into his brother, who had been taking a crispy piece of bacon from the plate on the other side of her. 

Red caught (Y/n) as she fell against him, looking at her with a chuckle. "this count as a hug?" 

Blue sent a severely disapproving look at Edge, preparing himself if he had to defend (Y/n). "THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH HUGS, EDGE, AND IT'S VERY RUDE TO SHOVE PEOPLE AROUND!" 

(Y/n) swallowed her irritation, since there was enough of that in the kitchen already, and straightened, leveling a glare at Edge. "I'd appreciate it if you'd keep your hands to yourself, there, edge master." Her tone was disapproving, but even. 

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT YOU'RE TOO WEAK TO WITHSTAND A SIMPLE PUSH," he huffed. 

Black shot up from the table, reprimanding, "SHE IS _NOT_!" while Red let out a soft scold of, "boss."

"SHE FELL OVER, DIDN'T SHE?" Edge mocked. 

"YOU SHOULD APOLOGIZE, EDGE!" Blue insisted. 

"BEG FOR FORGIVENESS FOR TOUCHING MY PET!" Black demanded. 

"NEVER! DON'T BE RIDICULOUS!" Edge declared. 

"Guys, him being an ass isn't worth getting this worked up over," (Y/n) told them all. 

" _HE'S_ NOT WORTH GETTING WORKED UP OVER," Black snipped, folding his arms with a smirk. 

Edge glared at him, but Red cleared his throat uneasily as Mutt silently rose from his chair. 

Classic was waiting for his aggression to pick up, but it wasn't. 

He was confused; his heat was coming, why wasn't he showing the signs? Had that strange half heat somehow counted for this one instead? 

The door to the kitchen opened and Axe entered, his large red eye taking in the situation. "what's going on in here?" 

The group took one look at him with blood staining his shirt and hands, his dark expression, and the now skinned rabbit in his hand, and became silent. 

"just edge being an asshole," Mutt muttered. 

He was the only one not intimidated, though no one wanted to show how much the terrifying skeleton made them nervous. 

(Y/n) sat on a couch in the gathering room, Bun sitting next to her and holding her hand in his as he patted it comfortingly. Blue sat next to her on the other side of her and put a hand on hers. 

"Is it always such a cluster fuck when you all try to get together?" 

"UNFORTUNATELY IT HAPPENS MORE THAN IS DESIRED," Blue sighed. "I'M SORRY, (Y/N)..." 

"It's not your fault, Blue," she sighed. After a few moments, the commotion in the other room died down. "Sounds like it's gotten quiet in there. Time to go sort it out." 

She stood and the two skeletons followed her back into the kitchen. 

It seemed like a tense moment, though when Axe saw her, his eye focused on her, and it seemed to mellow a bit. "ya alright, little lamb?" 

"I'm fine, Sa- uh, heh, Bethany, thanks. Blue, will you get me a plate, please?" She asked as she went to the stove where Cream had been finishing up the food. 

Blue brought her a plate while watching the others as their eyelights followed what she was doing. 

(Y/n) quickly filled the plate with a sampling of the finished food and set it on the island. "Edge, your plate is ready." 

The tall, edgy skeleton looked a bit smug, pleased that he was being served first, and moved to take the plate. 

"Take it and go," (Y/n) instructed, pointing down the hall to the gathering room. 

"WHAT?" 

(Y/n) met has gaze straight on and straightened herself. "You are causing issues. If you behave, you may sit in the other room and eat. If not, please take your plate and leave." 

Edge reared back with an offended noise, sputtering objections, but she just stared at him. 

It was so quiet that you could have heard a pin drop, until someone snorted and a few chuckles came from the direction of Mutt and Axe. 

Edge looked around the kitchen as though looking for backup, but didn't find any. 

Finally he took his fruit and huffed as he turned and started to storm off, calling for his brother to follow. 

As Red got to her, though, (Y/n) stopped him with a touch to the humorous. "Red is welcome to stay, he hasn't caused any problems," she said with a pleasant smile to him. 

Red looked back and forth for a moment, feeling a tug at his loyalties from his brother. 

"I also need to talk to you about when we go out a bit later," (Y/n) told him.

"sorry, boss… ya made yer own bed…" Red murmured, his skull drooping a bit. 

"Edge, don't forget your food," (Y/n) told him, picking up the plate and carrying it to him. "We'll try again next time, ok?" She assured him. 

Edge looked like he was about to put his pride before him, but one glance to see who backed her and he hesitated. 

Black, Mutt, Axe, and Blue looked ready to step in, while Bun looked ready to take her out of the away, and Red was giving him a look that pleaded with him not to make more trouble. 

The worst part was that she didn't even seem to know that they were ready to throw in for her. She was just holding the plate out to him as if no one else in the room was there. As though she'd take him on on her own to keep the peace if necessary. 

Edge grit his teeth and stiffened his spine, spinning and huffing before he stormed from the lodge. 

"well… boss sure 's hell ain't gonna let us use 'is car after that," Red muttered after a moment.

Cream spoke up from the stove, where he'd been standing quietly. "Y- You Could Use My Car- I'D BE GLAD TO DRIVE YOU IF YOU NEEDED TO GO SOMEWHERE, RED AND HUMAN!" 

"Aw, thanks, Cream!" (Y/n) smiled at him. "We were going to a shop, and I was also wondering if it would be ok if we stopped and picked someone up?" She looked back and forth between them. 

Red just shrugged, but Cream sounded very happy to help. 

Luckily, after that, breakfast went smoothly, and the only thing that made (Y/n) worry, was that Axe stayed as far from her as possible, and kept sniffing at the blood spattered on him that he'd missed when he had cleaned up after cleaning the rabbit. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The reason Blue and Black both come running in calling for their brothers? Axe walked outside to clean the rabbit telling them "one of your brothers better watch himself, or he's going to- _taking out knife and stabbing the rabbit, sliding it down it's belly and gutting it messily_ get it." Oh Axe... what will we do with you... lol
> 
> I'm putting out two chapters of this story this week while I go through and make certain that Captive Love is flowing correctly- I... may have panicked a bit at a couple of comments, sorry about that!
> 
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	23. Surprise visiter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/n) gets to spend a little more time with Red, who may be acting a bit odd, Cream, who may be a bit concerned with where she's taking the surprise visitor, and Blue, who sees her in a different light after this...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I- there was just- I want the spooky stuff to happen on Halloween! But... The four things I needed/ wanted to happen first... apparently took 9,500 words (between this chapter and last) to get through, because other stuff was happening, I guess.  
> Anyway!  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! And hopefully the soft moments seem soft, and not creepy on accident... I- emotions are- like, feelings... I'm not good at that kind of stuff... and turning a creepy character into a non creepy character without revealing everything at once is harder than I thought, I think... lol.
> 
> Lots of notes for this one in the end notes, but didn't want to spoil anything!

(Y/n) sat in the car next to Cream as Red took care of business in the auto shop. 

His car was a beautiful bright red drop top, which she was sure came in handy, since he was so tall, and sports cars were generally very small. 

“WHAT IS THIS PERSON LIKE THAT WE’RE GOING TO PICK UP?” Cream asked. 

(Y/n) felt like she was at a loss. “Hm… Well, she’s funny, and sweet, even though she’s stubborn, and… I don’t know, really, just… kinda like a kid…?” 

“I’M EXCITED TO MEET HER!” Cream grinned at her. 

Red came back out to the car carrying a new looking package, sticking it in the tiny trunk when Cream popped it. 

“so, sweetheart,” Red started. “ya need a new battery anyway, probably, but it might be yer alternator, since there was a bit of a charge, still. it also might be somethin’ else in th’ engine. so ta start off wit, yer lookin’ at about three hundred, that’s fer the battery an’ th’ alternator. if it’s somethin’ else, though, it’s probably gonna be better ta just start lookin’ fer a new truck,” he told her with his hands stuffed in his pockets. “engine's ‘n expensive thing ta fix.” 

Sorrow filled (Y/n)’s chest like a punch to the heart. “I- n-no, I don’t want a new truck- I’ll- I’ll do what I can to fix it… um… I don’t have three hundred, though… how much was just the battery?” 

Red raised a brow ridge at her outburst while Cream studied her. 

“what- uh- what’s so important ‘bout that truck, doll?” Red asked. 

“I- um…” (Y/n) looked down as her ears and neck heated in embarrassment. “I-it used to be my dad’s, um, the camper, too, actually. We used to go camping in it… um… it’s all I’ve really got left of him…” 

Cream put a hand on her arm. “WHAT HAPPENED?” 

“Um… just… he died a couple of years ago. My mom died shortly after I was born from complications of the birth, or c-section, or something, he never told me exactly, I think he didn’t want me to feel guilty about it, so he was all I had for a while…” 

“HE NEVER MA- ENDED UP WITH ANYONE ELSE?” Cream asked in confusion. 

“Well, he did get remarried, twice, actually, but the first lady and he didn’t get along after they separated, so she wasn’t really around, and the second, they separated a few years before he got sick. So, yes, and no, I guess. So, um, how much for just a battery?” 

The two monsters just looked at her for a minute. 

“uh, ‘bout a hundred,” Red finally answered. 

“How _much_ about a hundred…?” She asked, trying to remember how much was left in her account. She was pretty sure that she had about a hundred seventy-eight, but she wouldn’t bet the bank on it. 

“‘s like, eighty ‘r ninety, doll,” he told her. 

“I… I probably have that to spare,” she acknowledged, hoping that she wouldn’t have to buy too many personal things she needed to get. 

Red studied her for a moment. “ya don’t really wanna go in there, doll, like i said before… they got a few regulars that’ll try ta take advantage of ya… how ‘bout ya lemme take yer card, i’ll go get th’ battery, an’ be right back.” 

“I- no offense, Red, but I don’t know how comfortable I feel with you having my card… I don’t know you that well…” 

“i get it, doll, money’s somethin’ ya gotta be careful wit. but, i’ll run it as credit so i don't gotta know yer pin, an' get a receipt, an’ ya can check yer card for transactions, jus’ ta make sure, if ya want,” he offered. “uh, jus’ so ya know, though, i’ll probably end up gettin’ ya some new battery cables if they got some cheap ones, nothin’ more’n 'bout ten bucks, though, swear.” 

That did make her feel a bit better, and she really got enough innuendos and things from the more amorous skeletons… 

She ended up letting him take her card, watching as he came back with two bags. Seemed like he got the cables. 

When he got into the car, he handed her her card and the receipt, showing the battery for eighty-seven, ninety-five, and two cables and connectors for eleven even. 

“it’ll save ya another trip down here, and it’s good ta get ‘em replaced every so often, jus’ ‘cause the wires get old,” Red explained. 

They drove to the ‘mysterious location,’ as Cream called it, (Y/n) giving directions the whole way, and ended up in front of a house with four cars of varying ages parked in front of it. 

"Huh. Must be shift change; there's not usually that many people here," (Y/n) commented to herself as she climbed out of the car. 

The two skeletons waited in the car as (Y/n) walked up to the door and knocked, almost opening it, but resisting with obvious focus to do so. 

The door opened and a woman in her fifties opened the door, looking (Y/n) over and giving her a huge smile, which she returned. 

(Y/n) disappeared inside for a moment, then came back with a bag over her shoulder while she watched behind her, waiting for someone. 

Cream and Red sat tensely, not only because they had no idea what was going on with the situation, but because they were both skeleton monsters, and they were not oblivious to the fact that they, Red more so than Cream, made some humans uncomfortable. 

Four sockets widened as a human who looked to be just about entering puberty, though shorter than even Blue by at least about a foot, walked out, carrying a ragged blanket. 

The woman from before stepped out onto the porch and seemed to be telling her to leave the blanket. 

"Noooo!" They heard the girl wail from where they were. 

Red felt magic starting to bead on his skull. 

They watched as (Y/n) seemed to expertly gesture to the bag, the car, and the blanket, in agreement with the other woman, and though it took a few minutes, and the girl hugged the blanket tight and kissed it, she gave it back to the woman, who held it an arms length from her and mouthed 'thank you!' exaggerated enough that the two in the car could read her expression. 

The two girls headed back to the car, and (Y/n) called out, asking if Red wanted to sit in the front. He took that as a que to move and did. 

"Ok, now remember, before we get in the car, what are we going to do while we drive?" 

The girl huffed and sighed, her voice a bit afflicted by a stutter as she answered, "leave the s-seatbelt on." 

"And?" 

"And n-not yell at p-people on the street or other c-cars." Huff. 

"You got it, lady!" (Y/n) praised, making the girl smile despite her acting irritated, and held out her hand. "High five!" 

The girl seemed very excited by it, giving a small cheer as she slapped (Y/n)'s hand. 

"One more. What do we need to remember when meeting new people?" 

"K-k-g-keep boundaries." 

"Man, you are one smart cookie, Suzie Sue!" (Y/n) complimented, making the girl ecstatic. "This is my friend Cream, and my friend Red. They're giving us a ride, isn't that nice of them?" 

"Th-th-thanks!" 

"YOU'RE WELCOME, SMALL HUMAN," Cream answered with a grin to match hers. 

"S-s-small?!" Suzie demanded. "I'm n-n-n-nineteen!" She laughed boisterously. 

The two skeletons looked uncertain of what to do, but (Y/n) just joked, "you're a handful, is what you are, Suzie Sue. Seatbelts," she reminded with a smile, pulling something out of the bag and handing it to the girl. 

Suzie laughed as though it was the funniest joke she'd ever heard and took the item, putting it on the seatbelt and buckling it. 

. 

The car ride back to the old campground was filled with giggles and jokes as the two in the back caught up. 

Red felt his soul fluttering in the most ridiculous pattern and ignored it, feeling a bit irritated. 

"Thank you, Cream," (Y/n) told him gratefully as everyone climbed out and left him alone in the car, Red taking his things from the trunk as well as (Y/n)'s bags of car parts. 

"ARE YOU SURE YOU DON'T WANT A RIDE UP TO THE LODGE?" He questioned. 

"Nope, thank you, though. We came to see Bun, actually." 

Suzie repeated "Bun" over and over, while Cream gave them a worried look. 

"I-IF YOU'RE SURE," he hesitantly agreed. 

"Yep!" (Y/n) grinned, turning and waving, prompting Suzie to do the same as they headed after Red. 

After only a few steps, Red turned to head off into the forest, about where (Y/n)'s truck was, but she stopped him. 

"Thank you, Red, very much for offering to help me." 

Red flushed, looking disgruntled. "yeah, whatever, it ain't a big deal." 

"Thanks anyway," she told him, then looked at Suzie, "Red's going a different way than us. Do you want to say bye?" 

"B-b-bye, Red!" The girl called cheerfully, going in for a hug, making Red flinch anxiously. 

"Suzie," (Y/n) warned, putting her arms to demonstrate a bubble, fingers touching and elbows poking out. 

Suzie sighed and turned, walking off in the general direction they had been headed.

"Bye, Red," (Y/n) told him, following after her and corrected their course with an upbeat, "I think it's a bit more in this direction." 

. 

Sans stiffened, his one large red eyelight shifting toward the door. 

(Y/n) was coming; he could smell her… 

He should leave, for her safety- but then he smelled another human. One covered in a mixing of her scent and many other humans. 

He couldn't leave. He wasn't worried about (Y/n) being around his brother; her green soul was more likely to get her killed than to let him get hurt. 

But this other human- 

There was a knock on the door, and he hurried to open it as his brother looked up from the puzzle he was working on. 

As Sans opened the door, (Y/n) stood there with a smaller human. 

She was a bit darker in color- not quite a brown tone, but a dark sandy color to her skin, her long hair a deep mahogany, and her big eyes a chocolate color with a sparkle to them. 

"Hi Sans, we came to visit your brother," (Y/n) greeted. 

"Bun, Bun, Bun," the smaller human started repeating. 

"Yep, gonna see Bun," (Y/n) agreed. 

Sans didn't move, feeling very protective at the moment, but Bun came to the door behind him to see what was happening. 

"Brother, What- O- Oh- Ah, H-Hello, (Y/n), And Small Human…" He nervously waited for the smaller human to scream and run, to start crying or any of the other reactions that other humans, especially ones this size, had when they saw him. 

(Y/n) smiled, introducing them. "Sans, Bun, this is one of my old clients, Suzie. Suzie, these are some more of my friends. This is Sans, and this is Bun." 

Suzie was practically besides herself, her stutter increasing with her excitement. "B-B-B-B-Bu-Bun!" 

(Y/n)'s grin widened a bit and she held back her chuckle. Until the shorter girl started forward, her arms outstretched. 

"Suzie, remember boundaries- Suzie-" 

But the girl was not thrown off, not even by Sans stepping in front of her to block his brother. Nope, she went straight for him instead, wrapping her arms around him, delightedly crying out, "spooky!" 

(Y/n) repressed the noise of her sigh, but it still slipped out. "Suzie, we want to stay and spend time with them, right?" 

"Yes!" The girl called, still burying her face against Sans, who was just looking down at her in utter confusion. 

"Then we need to be appropriate and ask for permission, _and_ wait for the ok _before_ we can hug people," (Y/n) told her, obviously having done this many times. 

Suzie sighed as though she was having to deal with a group of people that had the IQ of a pod of peas, and pulled back, putting her hands on her hips. " _Fiiiiiiine_ ," she huffed out. 

Bun stepped closer, unable to believe what he was vaguely seeing. 

The small human lifted her arms to him, excitedly demanding, "up! Up! Up!" 

"Suzie, I haven't forgotten all your tricks since I last saw you; you have more words than that," (Y/n) prompted. 

Suzie huffed again. " _Please_ pick me up!" 

Bun looked to (Y/n), who just shrugged to him. 

"Up to you," she answered his unspoken question. 

Bun reached down slowly, sure that any second the small human would scream and run, but she only started dancing a bit in excitement and impatience. 

When he picked her up, Suzie threw her arms around him as well as she could, snuggling into his clavicle with a happy hum. 

The two skeletons stood in shock, and (Y/n) nodded in satisfaction, a smile turning her lips up, until she heard the telltale smack of lips. "Suzie, do you need to get down?" She asked in a warning tone. 

"Nuh-uh!" The girl cried, shaking her head. 

"Then you need to be appropriate, please; we don't kiss people without permission." 

Suzie huffed, but snuggled closer to Bun and whispered, "sh-sh-she's jus' jealous!" 

"Ny-Nyeh Heh, Heh…" Bun trailed off, still in shock. 

Sans also seemed at a loss for what to do. 

(Y/n) glanced around at them all, holding in her chuckle. "Should we watch a movie?" Suzie immediately squirmed to get down and rushed to her. "What movie are we watching, Suzie Sue?" She asked, holding the bag to her. 

The smaller girl took the bag and dug through it, casting an appraising look to Bun before pulling out a box and declaring, "C-C-C-Creature f-f-from the b-b-black lagoon!" 

The four all settled down to watch the movie, Sans keeping a watchful eye on the girl in his brother's lap, but feeling something not hateful in his soul at the sight before him. 

"H-h-he loves her," Suzie pointed at the screen, which depicted the female lead swimming and the creature copying her, movement for movement. "M-m-mating dance, huh?" She said to (Y/n), looking for confirmation. 

(Y/n) chuckled. "Yep, he thinks it's a mating dance. And he definitely loves her." 

Suzie nodded smugly and cuddled back to Bun's ribs as they watched the movie. 

(Y/n) felt the tugging of her 'staff's training' telling her to prompt the girl to get off of Bun's lap, but he had given her permission, which _was_ what the main goal of the behavioral support was supposed to accomplish… And… Bun was cuddling her back just as hard… he really looked like he needed this, too… 

(Y/n) took a breath and pushed down her reactions, reminding herself that she wasn't the girl's staff anymore. 

After the movie and lunch, (Y/n) got a message from Blue asking if she was ready to go shopping. 

"Hey, Suzie, I have to go do some grocery shopping. Do you want to meet another one of my friends and come help me?" 

"Ok!" The girl agreed, jumping up and rushing to her bag to pack her things up. 

(Y/n) quickly sent a message letting him know the details and helped get everything packed up. 

When Blue pulled up outside, (Y/n) modeled the behavior for Suzie, then watched as she, of course, immediately tried to go in for a hug. "Suzie," she warned, and the girl stopped, eyes on the floor. 

"C-can I please have a h-hug?" 

Bun swept her up in a tight hug and made her giggle. 

"Of Course, Small Human," he agreed, a catch in his voice that tugged at (Y/n)'s heartstrings. 

Sans ruffled her hair when it was his turn to say goodbye, and Suzie sent him a look, giving a "heeeeey" of mock complaint as he chuckled. 

"Thanks guys, see you later," (Y/n) said as she followed the girl out through the door.

Suzie ran towards the big SUV and opened the door, but stopped when (Y/n) called out, "miss Suzie, did you make sure that's the right car? I don't want anyone to steal you!" 

Suzie sighed in mock exasperation. "(Y/n), it's the only car here~." 

"True," (Y/n) agreed. "Still important to be safe." 

Suzie looked back into the car to see Blue sitting in the driver's seat and then back to (Y/n). "B-besides! There's a skeleton driving!" 

"Yeah?" (Y/n) asked in confusion. 

"So it's your friend!" 

It was said so matter of factly, as though any skeleton that they came across would be her friend, because of course they would be! that (Y/n) burst out laughing, and Blue was startled, looking over the two. 

"W-why are you laughing?" Suzie demanded. 

"You just crack me up so much sometimes, Suzie, Sue!" She laughed. "You think everyone who's a skeleton is my friend?"

"Well, yeah," she said with a 'duh' in her tone. 

"You got me, Suzie. This is my friend Blue. Blue, this hilarious lady is Suzie," (Y/n) introduced. 

"HELLO, SUZIE, IT'S NICE TO MEET ANOTHER ONE OF (Y/N)'S FRIENDS," Blue greeted. 

He watched as (Y/n) again went through the prompts of how to behave in the car and with people in the community. 

"And what happens if we don't follow the rules?" 

"Th-three strikes and th-then go home," the girl sighed. 

"That's right. So we're going to do our best, right?" 

"Right!" 

"Right!" (Y/n) repeated after the girl, reflecting her excitement. "Alright! Let's hop in the car and head out!" 

As they started into town, they could see that another storm was building. 

"I d-d-d-don't like i-i-it!" Suzie announced. 

"You and Bun both, Suzie," (Y/n) commented in concern. 

"Bun is cuddly," Suzie announced. "Big cuddly skeleton!" 

"He sure is," (Y/n) agreed as Blue looked at them in question. 

They arrived at the store and hurried in as the clouds started to gather. 

(Y/n) kept Suzie busy as they went, having her grab the items and put them in the cart. 

Blue was amazed how different her demeanor was. It was truly a shock of how professional and only positive she’d become. Not that she was negative before, but it was like she refused to acknowledge being negative. 

As they went down the aisles, there were a few other people going around, getting their things and having a normal day, a few people stared because Blue was there, a skeleton monster, and a few stared because Suzie was being herself. (Y/n) ignored all of it, directing Suzie with the ease of experience, hesitating for a moment, then telling her to stay with Blue as she went to grab some personal things. 

“Th-th-that means tampons!” Suzie laughed. 

“Suzie, remember, we don’t tell other people’s business,” (Y/n) reminded her, feeling a bit embarrassed, but like she should be used to it after needing such things for so long. 

She hurried off, finding the items and grabbing a package each, and debating only a moment before grabbing a menstrual cup. If anything, the ability to keep using it and not have to go way out of her way back to town to pick up more products if running out snuck up on her would be a big positive. 

She was heading back to the cart when a man with his arms full shoulder checked her, managing to hold on to all of his stuff, but make her drop hers, and she was left standing with a package of pads clutched in her hand. 

(Y/n)’s eyes shot to the man with a harsh glare as he didn’t stop or even offer a half assed apology. 

“K-kick his a-ass-ss!” Suzie called out. 

The man stopped and turned back to them, as though seeing if there would be a fight, but saw Blue giving the glare of death, and hurried away even faster. 

“Suzie Sue, your mouth!” (Y/n) gasped in mock shock. 

“K-kick his ass,” the girl called again. 

“We don’t solve our problems with violence, do we, Suzie,” (Y/n) prompted. “Or cursing, you sailor.” 

Blue looked (Y/n) over, then back at the shorter girl. “I DON’T THINK (Y/N) WANTS TO ATTACK ANYONE,” he commented. 

Suzie did a few pretend karate moves. “P-put a move on him!” 

“Suzie, I can’t karate someone to death in the store, we’d get kicked out, at least,” (Y/n) joked. 

“No! Put a- a- p-put a- throw him on the ground!” She declared, imitating something that she’d obviously seen. 

“Suzie, I can’t use restraints on people that they’re not approved on, silly.” 

“RESTRAINTS?” Blue asked. 

“Yeah, in case we need to stop someone. Not all clients are as amazing as Suzie, right Suzie Sue?” (Y/n) asked. 

“Right! I-I’m a-awesome!” 

“Heck yeah, you are!” (Y/n) agreed. 

“BUT, WASN’T THAT MAN- WOULDN’T HE BE TOO LARGE FOR YOU TO TAKE DOWN?” Blue asked. 

Suzie acted like his question was an insult. “N-no way! Sh-she had to t-take Jared down b-by herself! He’s way b-bigger than her! N-not tall, b-but big,” she held out her arms to show she meant heavier. 

Blue looked at (Y/n) in confusion. “OH?” 

“Yep. A few times. But we don’t tell other people’s business, right Suzie? I don’t think Jared would appreciate you telling everyone that,” (Y/n) told her. 

Suzie rolled her eyes. “S-s-s-still happened.” She turned back to Blue. “She c-c-could take you down, t-too, easy!” 

“OH, I DON’T KNOW ABOUT THAT,” Blue chuckled, feeling a bit of pride. 

“D-do the car one!” Suzie told (Y/n). 

“You have to be in a car for that to work, sorry,” (Y/n) responded, shrugging as she put her things in a slightly separate space. 

Blue sized (Y/n) up for a moment. “DO YOU THINK YOU COULD TAKE ME DOWN?” 

(Y/n) shrugged as they continued on. “Well, you’re supposed to be able to take down most people with them, but, there are some that need two person holds, or three person holds.” 

“T-TWO OR THREE… (Y/N), ARE THERE REALLY CLIENTS YOU’VE HAD THAT IT WOULD TAKE THREE PEOPLE TO INCAPACITATE?” 

(Y/n) looked at him in question. “No- no, not incapacitate; hold- they’re all safe holds that don’t hurt the clients, so sometimes it takes more hands to hold someone down softly,” she explained. 

“Like L-Lexa!” 

“Suzie, you big gossip,” (Y/n) distracted. 

“WHAT HAPPENED TO LEXA?” Blue asked. 

“Why Blue, I didn’t realize that you were such a big gossip, too,” (Y/n) teased. 

Blue blushed a bit, but listened as Suzie answered. 

“Lexa tried to hit Mandy’s baby- (Y/n) didn’t like that!” 

“Nope, (Y/n) certainly didn’t like that,” (Y/n) commented, then looked to Blue to explain, “there was a client that got really angry if someone was pregnant, so if anyone working or visiting there was pregnant, we’d have to escort them or keep the client in another area, because she’d attack. She actually caused-” (Y/n) looked away and watched the shelf as they walked. “They think she actually caused a few miscarriages.” 

Blue was shocked and horrified. “TH-THE PLACE YOU WORKED AT LET THAT HAPPEN?” 

“Well… they didn’t do anything to prevent it. There were about eight clients to a staff sometimes, and with everyone trying to get your attention, sometimes you can’t keep track of everyone. The company, of course, wouldn’t even compensate in any way, no paid time off, or anything. And it’s not like you could really afford to take lots of days off, since the pay was pretty crap unless you’d been there for a long time, because the government is the ones that give the company the money to pay the employees, and they cheap out on things like that. Plus… well… we were pretty much always understaffed. The people who worked there did the best they could, for the most part, but the company is still a company; caring about money more often than not.” 

Blue reached out his hand and took hers. “(Y/N), THAT SOUNDS LIKE A VERY HARD JOB TO HAVE- WAS THERE NOTHING YOU COULD DO? NO ONE YOU COULD REPORT IT TO?” 

(Y/n) shrugged. “It’s not like they could get in trouble for not being able to have enough staff when they were always trying to hire. They did try. And they couldn’t pay us any more. I worked at a different company, too, one that was just starting up, but joined with another company later, and they tried to pay livable wages, but the government pretty much told the owner that they were paying us too much since they had to go back and ask for a bit more to cover payroll.” 

Blue looked up at her, his eyelights flashing through different emotions, all troubled. “CAN I HUG YOU, (Y/N)?” 

“Sure, Blue.” 

“Ooooooooo!” Suzie called from the other end of the aisle, making them split apart. 

A crack of thunder suddenly filled the air and Suzie let out a screech. 

“Sounds like it’s about time to cut our outing short… Is there anything else you need that’s really important?” (Y/n) asked Blue. 

Blue pulled out his list. “WE STILL NEED ABOUT A THIRD OF THE LIST,” he told her. 

“Hm… Would it be ok- if- if I maybe borrowed the SUV and dropped Suzie at home then came back?” 

“U-UM… NORMALLY I’D BE FINE WITH THAT, BUT, IT’S MY BROTHER’S VEHICLE…” 

(Y/n) nodded. “Ok, let’s bust butt on this then, because we’re about to have a tough time.” 

Suzie shrieked and screeched at every flash of lightning and crash of thunder, making everyone in the store look their direction and store employees stare at them. 

They were waiting in line when Suzie couldn’t keep it back anymore, no matter how much (Y/n) walked around with her, or that she’d taken (Y/n)’s jacket, screaming into it. 

“I wanna go home!” Suzie yelled. 

“I know, Suze, we’re almost done, we’re just waiting to check out, only one person left in front of us, please, can you try to be patient for me? Please?” 

“No!” The girl cried. 

“Ok, well let’s go to the bathroom before we go, ok? That way we won’t have to go on the way home.” Of course, the real reason was that (Y/n) didn’t want her purposely peeing her pants in the middle of the line and making a mess. 

When they got back, Blue had made it to the front of the line and they were halfway through the heavily packed cart. 

“Suzie, can you do your calming exercises with me?” 

“No!” 

“Are you an adult, Suzie?” 

“Yes!” 

Another bagger came over to help, and (Y/n) gave them a smile, keeping the smaller girl arguing with her so she didn’t attack anyone. 

“Are you sure? I thought Suzie was too sad to be an adult.” 

“No!” She screamed. 

“Come on, Suze, let’s go potty again and clean your pretty face up.” 

“Noo!” 

“Then let’s run around in circles like crazy people.” 

“NO!” 

“But that’s my _favorite_ thing to do, Suzie Sue!” 

“NO! You’re _stupid_!” 

“Ah, how _mean_ Suzie. Like a meanie octopus.” 

Suzie let out a screech. “Octopuses aren’t mean!” 

Blue watched in awe as (Y/n) handled the whole scene like nothing was wrong. 

“You should be ashamed of your daughter,” one older woman snipped at her. 

“Well, thanks for your opinion ma’am, but for me to do that, I’d have to wait until about ten months after I conceived, and hope it was a girl,” (Y/n) told the old woman pleasantly. 

“I don’t appreciate your sarcasm or your rudeness, young lady,” the woman snapped back huffily at her. 

“I’m sorry you feel that way, ma’am,” (Y/n) told her, keeping the pleasant tone and smile on her face, “but I’m only explaining that I don’t have any children. Though, if you have such great qualifications on raising special needs children and handling special needs adults, the place that this young woman lives is usually looking for well qualified individuals, though the pay is dismal.” 

Blue finally finished paying as the two baggers caught up to all of the groceries, and walked to stand next to (Y/n). 

“EXCUSE ME, MADAM, BUT I WAS UNDER THE IMPRESSION THAT IN HUMAN SOCIETY IT WAS NOT CUSTOMARY OR POLITE FOR STRANGERS TO TELL OTHERS HOW TO RAISE CHILDREN REGARDLESS OF IF THEY WERE THEIR OWN, ESPECIALLY IN A PUBLIC PLACE, UNSOLICITED, AND PURPOSELY TO MAKE A SCENE BIGGER.” 

(Y/n) tried not to laugh. “Well, Blue, that’s because you were taught manners.” 

The woman huffed, trying to tell them off, but was interrupted by Suzie charging her. She gave a screech as the short girl kicked at her, narrowly missing and kicking the cart she was leaning on, and went to bite her. Luckily, (Y/n) caught her in time, her arms under the girl’s, around her shoulders and hands behind her head so that she could stop her from headbutting backwards as well as being able to run off or hit anyone. 

“Suzie, you can go as soon as you calm down. Take a breath for me, Suzie, let’s count…” 

.

Blue watched as (Y/n) walked back to the SUV, hurrying back to avoid more rain. 

“ARE YOU OK?” He asked as she climbed in. 

“Huh?” She asked as she looked up. “Yeah? Oh, because… That’s all in the day, don’t worry. Luckily I'm pretty fast at filling out incident reports," she joked. "Suzie will be fine, she’ll hold on extra tight to her special blanket and hide in bed with music on to drown out the thunder. Usually we would take something with us, like headphones, for that, but- looks like Tiffany, her staff, didn’t know it was going to rain when they packed her bag… I'm just glad she didn't barf on my jacket this time, and that we didn't have to use the spare set of clothes in her bag.” 

Blue took a breath and put all of that information aside as he pulled the SUV out of the driveway. “BUT ARE _YOU_ OK?” Concern was visible in his expression. 

"I'm fine, Blue. I've dealt with it before. Not- not that everyday is like that, but when you get enough clients, it certainly feels like it," she chuckled. 

Blue gently reached out and took her hand, lifting it up to his teeth and nuzzling against the back of it before holding it to his jaw. 

"I KNEW YOU WERE AMAZING, OF COURSE, BUT REALLY… YOU ARE VERY, VERY, EXTRA AMAZING… AND I… I'VE BEEN ACTING A BIT LIKE YOU CAN'T HANDLE YOURSELF, BUT… IT WAS BECAUSE I DIDN'T WANT ANYTHING TO HAPPEN TO YOU. NOW I KNOW THAT YOU DEFINITELY _CAN_ HANDLE WHATEVER'S THROWN AT YOU… BUT I STILL WANT TO KEEP YOU SAFE, (Y/N)..." 

"That's… Very thoughtful, Blue." 

The drive was pretty quiet for a bit, Blue focused on driving carefully, (Y/n) watching the rain. 

“(Y/N), YOU LOOK WORN OUT… YOU SHOULD REST…” 

“I’m fine, Blue, I-”

“(Y/N), I KNOW THAT YOU'RE ALWAYS TRYING TO HELP OTHERS, AND…” He took a breath and let one hand run over hers. “I CAN TELL THAT YOU ALWAYS TRY TO ACT OK- Pappy Tries To Do The Same Thing,” he muttered to himself, looking for somewhere to pull over, and ending in a restaurant parking lot. “BUT… TODAY WAS A ROUGH DAY…” He continued as he pulled into an empty space in the empty side of the parking lot. “AND IT’S OK TO NOT BE OK…” 

She gave him a small smile. “I know, Blue…” 

He looked away for a moment, shutting off the engine and leaving the accessories on. “I… I WANTED TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I’M HERE IF YOU EVER WANT TO TALK…” 

(Y/n) felt a shot of warmth jolt through her. “Thanks, Blue.” 

“IS IT- WOULD IT BE OK, IF I- IF I HELD YOU FOR A MOMENT?” Blue asked, nervous about her answer after how she’d reacted to finding out he’d marked her. 

“Um… I-” 

“Please…?” He asked quietly. “It Would Make Me Feel Better, Even If It Didn’t Make You Feel Better…”

(Y/n) leaned into his embrace when he guided her against him. 

His arms wrapped around her felt nice… Even though he was shorter than her by a few inches and there was some space between them because of the seats, he settled them so that her head was on his shoulder, and ran his phalanges through her hair, laying his skull on her head as his other hand stroked up and down her back. 

(Y/n) felt herself relaxing, her muscles untensing for what felt like the first time that day. Everything finally caught up to her, and the hug felt so nice to just cuddle into. 

He smelled like leather and the earthy smell of a florist’s shop. 

Soft and strong. 

Safe and somehow familiar… 

She felt a bit of blood draining from her to her pad, and (Y/n) suddenly sat up as she realized she’d been dealing with Suzie so long she hadn’t been able to buy her products. “Oh, shit!” 

“WHAT’S WRONG?” Blue asked, surprise and concern expressed on his face. 

“I- I didn’t get to buy my stuff!” The anxiety was starting to creep back at knowing that she was on her last pad and was going to need to change it within the hour. 

“IT’S OK, I GOT THEM,” Blue assured her. 

“B-but- but I-” At least they were there and she didn’t have to go back for them or try to find another store to buy some at when they were already at the outer edge of town, and that thought calmed her a bit. “You paid for them?” 

“YES,” Blue nodded. 

“How much do I owe you?” 

Blue’s brow bones met in the middle of his face. “NOTHING.” 

“But, Blue, you paid for my stuff, I’m going to pay you back- I can’t just let you pay for my stuff- Oh! And you paid for all the rest of the stuff because I was so busy dealing with Suzie! I’m sorry! If you show me how to do the transfer thing I’ll put some from the collective account into yours to pay you back for that part-” 

“DON’T WORRY ABOUT IT, (Y/N), I USED THE COLLECTIVE ACCOUNT TO BUY IT, AND YOUR THINGS. SO NO NEED TO PAY ME BACK.” 

“But, I still can’t just let you guys pay for my things…” 

Blue smiled at her and guided her back to his shoulder. “HONESTLY, (Y/N). IT’S NO PROBLEM. I WON’T ACCEPT REPAYMENT, AND NEITHER WOULD ANY OF THE OTHERS. BESIDES, IT WASN’T MUCH, AND YOU’VE ALREADY WORKED SOME TIME ALREADY.”

(Y/n) let herself sink back into his embrace, letting the smell of leather and flowers relax her for a bit before they started off again toward the lodge, after picking up some fast food to take home to the rest of the skeletons for dinner. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have to notify you that there is a person with disabilities in this chapter, and while certain aspects of her may reflect some clients that I've known, she isn't based on any one client. I don't need HIPPA problems... lol. Though, in general, all of her behaviors (except screaming at thunder, that one is not confirmed by myself) are things I've known clients with- all of them, and yes, even that. And yes, that's how the company handled it... And also, yes the government told my current boss that she was paying us too much... (Oh my god, you have no idea how many times I had to prompt boundaries and asking for hugs today alone...)
> 
> Me: No one wants to read me doing my job with fictional characters.  
> Me: *writes me doing my job with fictional characters*  
> Me:  
> Me: What the hell...?  
> Me: How did that happen? 
> 
> I only wish I could get away with the things (Y/n) said to that old lady. Could probably have gotten away with the "if you're so qualified for my job, we're hiring" one, and telling Blue that he had manners (and the lady didn't), but probably not at the same time. Ahh, the wonders of not being at work when those things happen... Also the best is when professionals (doctors, department workers and people like that) ask questions, you, as a staff, try to answer them to get the paperwork out of the way and move to the actually helping the client part, and they (sometimes rudely) tell you they'll talk to the client, thanks. I just try not to laugh and kick back to watch the show while I check the time to make sure I keep us on time. Good luck with that Susan, have fun trying to get any pertinent info out of them while they're in an obsession and attention seeking cycle that you're encouraging and not properly redirecting because you're not trained. You do understand that's why I'm here, right? They usually don't last longer than 10-15 minutes before they look back to me, pleading for help. Oh, I exist now? Ok, let me get used to this plane of existence, again. So, as I was saying, and you're going to want to take notes- 🤣😂 
> 
> I'm putting out two chapters of this story this week while I go through and make certain that Captive Love is flowing correctly- I... may have panicked a bit at a couple of comments, sorry about that!
> 
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	24. Not alone in the dark...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's a dark, stormy night, the power goes out- She's all alone in the lodge, in the middle of the forest- in the middle of nowhere- and then someone else is in the lodge... in the dark... What can she do?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can I get an in story time check? It's only mid summer?! But- but Halloween! Haaaalllllooooooowwwwweeeeeeeeennnnnn! My favorite holiday... even if I don't get to dress up for real this year...  
> So... there can be spooky stuff in the middle of summer to still celebrate Halloween! I can do that... >:)  
> This one is a two parter, so that it's not a thousand years of reading in one chapter, and the second chapter will be out as soon as I get it set up! 
> 
> Also, I'm not saying that Reader is blonde, big boobed, a bimbo or whatever, she's just making fun of horror movie tropes.

It was another storm, or, the same storm, maybe… It was hard to tell anything except that it was heavy with rain and wind. Lightning flashed through the night sky, thunder booming after it. 

(Y/n) looked out the window, seeing the horror movie-esque scene in front of her and sent a quick text to Bun, hoping that he was handling it ok. 

She'd just gotten back to the doorway of her room after completing her bedtime routine when a bolt of lightning flashed extremely close, flashing daylight level brightness through the window, the boom from the thunder shaking the lodge nearly immediately. It was almost instantly followed by another boom seeming extremely close to the structure. 

(Y/n) fell against the wall, that primal terror filling her as it all went down. Her heart was racing, her mind blank. 

The first thought that got through was that she could smell smoke. 

She turned around and kept her arms out so she didn't fall as she made her way to the stairs, fumbling a little as she remembered her phone had a flashlight and turned it on. 

She needed to make sure that nothing was actively on fire, and that everyone was alright, too. 

As she made her way down the stairs and into the dinning room, she felt the eerie atmosphere around her, storm howling like a beast, trees being whipped around in the wind throwing their shadows against the windows through the flashes of lightning, thunder still letting out loud booms that rattled windows. 

"Oh holy shit," (Y/n) muttered to herself. "Why do I get the feeling I'm in a goddamn horror movie?" A chill ran down her spine. "Oh, hello, murderer, I'm the big chested, blonde, bimbo archetype that wandered off by herself to be the first victim…" she muttered with the typical empty headed laugh, "please don't kill me…" 

She kept moving forward, toward the living area, seeing the large picture window in the distance, more lightning and tree shadows showing on it, dancing across the curtains. 

The door, just out of her sight around the little alcove it was in, slammed open, helped by the wind, she was sure. 

It's just one of the guys, she told herself, but it didn't sound as reassuring in her head, so she repeated it out loud, though the words only came out barely above a whisper, "it's just one of the guys…" 

Lightning flashed again, sending another shadow fluttering through the doorway, a glint of something that looked suspiciously like steel showing as well. 

A small, choked sound squelched from her throat. 

Her body curled in on itself a bit, her hands getting closer to her face as she covered the flashlight, not wanting to give her position away, as though she hadn't already, and the next words that came out of her mouth were soft and higher pitched. "Oh, g-god, please let that be S-Sans…" 

Somehow, through the howling of the storm outside, she heard a footstep move toward her. 

(Y/n) was frozen to the spot, unable to move from where she stood. It was like someone was doing a Michael Myers impression, making their way towards her in an insanely slow manner, and she had no hope of escape. 

The shadow seemed so familiar, though… 

With the next bolt of lightning, she saw that the shadow was gone, and she wondered if it had been in her imagination; she was pretty worked up, after all… 

Her attention was drawn to the open door as she heard what sounded like rocks scattering with hasty footsteps, her heart still moving a mile a minute. 

Oh god- what if that person was still out there?! 

There was a scuffing from behind her, down the hall, and halfway through the action, she couldn't help but think that she'd still failed and fallen into the stupid kill scare of a horror movie; she was turning, only for the killer to be there with a knife ready to plunge it into her jugular, and a whimper made it from her throat before she'd fully turned. 

She was instantly tackled to the floor, hard, solid flooring under her as she crashed with a heavy weight on her. 

A familiar weight- not extremely familiar, but she felt like she'd been in this position before… the boney hand holding her arm down against her chest while a shin held the other to the floor so she couldn't fight back solidified her suspicion. A red eyelight flashed at her, and the manic grin glinting down at her from the shadow of the hood around his head only further proved her thought. 

"Sans?" She desperately squeaked. 

_"SANS!!"_ A voice cried in terror from where her phone had fallen flashlight side down near her head. 

She must have accidentally called Bun from the message screen while she was fumbling to get the flashlight on! 

The figure on top of her stiffened. 

"papyrus?" The humorless, gruff voice questioned. 

A cold air seemed to surround her, and her breath warmed the area around her face a little, though her blood had frozen in her veins. 

"shut up, i know," the person above her snapped. 

Then he seemed to tumble to the side, falling a bit louder and farther away than it seemed he should have. 

"lamb?" 

(Y/n) flung herself up and her arms around Axe's shoulders. "Sans!" 

Multiple pairs of footsteps thudded from the front door, into and through the lodge, voices calling out a variety of things. 

"(Y/N) ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Blue demanded as he dropped and wrapped his arms around her. 

After a moment, sobs of shock and terror were starting to push at her throat, but she swallowed them down. She needed to stay calm to figure out the whole situation. Getting hysterical wasn't going to help anyone. Especially if there was a killer on the loose! A killer that… knew Papyrus…? 

"JUST WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING HERE?!" Edge's voice filled the room as he demanded explanation the trio couldn't give. 

Three more pairs of footsteps came from the direction of the kitchen, now calmed down from their panicked haste. 

"seems like the power blew, and a secondary blow from the workshop… ya… ya ok there, kid?" Classic asked a bit awkwardly from across the room. 

(Y/n) felt her face being turned away from Axe's jacket and saw Red's red eyelights searching her face as his phalanges moved over it. 

"she's fine, ain't ya, sweetheart? y're tougher'n that," he answered for her, trying to make her feel and seem tougher than the truth of the moment. 

"PLEASE," Edge scoffed. "SHE'S TREMBLING."

The door slammed against the wall again as more skeletons entered. 

"WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!" Black demanded as he struck a protective pose between (Y/n) and the others as he glared around. 

"(Y/N)! ARE YOU ALRIGHT! I CAME AS FAST AS I COULD," Bun's loud, panicked voice sounded through the room as he flung himself to the group, his long arms surrounding as much of the wet mass as possible. 

"think it's all over, now, m'lord," Mutt commented to Black as he meandered to his side. 

"let go a me, ya damn-" Red cut himself off at the look Axe sent him and just grumbled. 

Stretch moved forward and closed the door, locking it and examining it. "hm… not broken or anything...” He muttered to himself

Cream came in from the kitchen, about to go to the group just out of the walking path, but instead stopped next to his brother. "EVERYTHING SEEMS FINE, NOTHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY…" 

Red managed to get out of the pile and made his way over to where Classic and Stretch were and the three started murmuring about something, Mutt obviously listening. 

Axe held her close, her hands clenched in his jacket, as Blue held her tightly from behind, trying to give her what comfort he could, and Bun pet her hair, softly telling her that she was alright. 

Classic cleared his throat uncomfortably. "seems like nothing's wrong… could probably head back home…" 

Blue protested, pulling back so he didn't deafen her with his insistence. "I DON'T THINK I FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH LEAVING (Y/N) ALONE HERE." 

"SHE'LL BE FINE; SHE'S A FULLY GROWN HUMAN," Edge complained, and Stretch gave a noise in agreement. 

"i-i dunno, boss… i don't really like that idea, either…" Red told him, making him scoff again. 

"IT'S SETTLED, THEN. THE HUMAN WILL COME STAY WITH US!" Black declared, and Mutt made his agreeable attitude known. 

There was a chorus of nos, a couple suggesting she stay with them instead, but Black just growled at them. 

"I CAN'T TRUST ANY OF _YOU_ TO KEEP MY PET SAFE! IT'S BEST IF I DO IT MYSELF!" 

"LET'S NOT FIGHT," Cream said, trying to placate them before a fight broke out. "I-IT- OH! IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL BE A SLEEPOVER!" 

"THERE'S NO POWER, YOU-" Black was cut off by a swift kick that was muffled by a noise that sounded like the lodge was under attack by cannon fire. 

"WE CAN MAKE A FIRE IN THE FIREPLACE," Blue argued, gesturing, though if they could see it, (Y/n) had no idea; all she could see was their eyelights flicking back and forth as they spoke and turned to each other. 

Cream picked up her fallen phone revealing that the flashlight was still on, and shined it around to illuminate the room before handing it to the group wrapped around each other. He continued to the fireplace and checked it, announcing that there was plenty of supplies for a fire that would last through the night. 

“bro- uh, i know ya wanna help, but i really think it’s a bad time-” Classic murmured to him near the fireplace. 

“Wh- Oh, Yes… Um… But You’re Not Showing Any Signs Of It, And Even If It Did Manage To Come Unannounced, The Others Would Be Able To Stop You From Doing Anything; You’re The Only One Who’s Time It Is,” Cream told him. “Or, You Could Go Home And Stay There Alone. I Agree With Red And Blue; I Don’t Want To Leave (Y/n) Here Alone… Something Suspicious Definitely Happened.” 

Classic scratched near his right socket for a minute before sighing and giving in. His brother was stubborn, he wouldn’t give up, and he didn’t want to leave him here. 

Blue stood, going to the kitchen and getting drinks and snacks to bring back with Cream, then following Red as he went to find bedding. 

(Y/n) pulled away from Axe and Bun, wiping her eyes off. “You’re all wet,” she murmured, then turned to the others, looking them over in the barely growing light from where Black and Edge built a fire while Mutt supplied the flame. “All of you, you’re all all wet… you can’t sleep wet,” she told them, trying to get up to go get towels, but she was kept there by Axe’s arms as he pulled her back to him and Bun. 

She gave him a weird look, realizing that, while everyone else, who had run through the rain to get there, was wet to varying degrees, Axe was not. 

The skeleton who had been on top of her hadn’t been wet, either… 

And she’d seen his red eyelight… and the manic smile… 

...and what she suspected was a blade… 

(Y/n) suddenly felt a bit more nervous. 

Had that been him on top of her, like she’d suspected? 

Had he also been the one in the doorway? 

Had he had another incident where he’d blanked out and attacked? 

...had he... actually meant to kill her this time?

Red stared at the red and black blanket on (Y/n)’s bed. 

He really wanted to bring it down to her, especially to help calm her after whatever the ordeal was that had happened, but he didn’t want the others shredding it, or accusing him of some bullshit again and attacking, or trying to mark her. 

Unmarked, he could have a share, marked, there would be fighting. 

Permanently marked- he’d never have a chance. 

And she was just too sweet and kind to know any better, hadn’t even realized that Blue had been marking her at the time- all any one of them would have to do was tell her that what they were doing was innocent, and then… he and all the rest would be out of luck. 

Red grabbed her pillows and left the blanket there, carrying them from the room. 

He’d just have to calm her with scent from the source; him. 

He carried his pile of blankets down and found a spot that was the most defensible, laying it there. 

“Red, you’re going to freeze if you don’t get dry soon,” (Y/n) called to him. 

With her sweet voice… 

Fuck, he wasn’t even in heat- why was he having all of these mushy thoughts?! 

“uh, yeah, i’ll go get some dry ones in a minute,” he told her, looking at where Bun had his arm around her, and his crude suggestion to just strip down and huddle for warmth if she was down for it died in his throat. 

Why did he even care? It wasn’t like the ‘scary’ Papyrus was any competition. Red didn’t think he’d ever seen Cream, the uncorrupted version of the same Papyrus, have any interest in partners, and his own brother, who was the closest to them out of any of the other Papyruses, took so long to warm up to anyone to like them, he was pretty sure he didn’t like sex or relationships half the time. 

Not that real relationships were something the two were ever really afforded the chance to have before. But even during his heat, his brother was usually uninterested in having a partner. 

“GOOD PLACEMENT FOR THE BEDDING- I ASSUME THAT YOU WERE SETTING IT UP FOR _HER_?” Black challenged. 

“feh. get outta here, ya fuckin’ annoyin’ brat.” 

“NO. I WILL BE STATIONED AS NEAR AS POSSIBLE-” 

“ya ain’t fuckin’ touchin’ ‘er, tyrant- she’ll pick who’s sleepin’ next ta ‘er. now take yer mutt and pick another spot,” Red growled. 

Black huffed in irritation and stormed over to his brother. 

Bun seemed to be watching him, even though he knew that the formerly abused skeleton’s eyelights didn’t work for shit. 

He decided to get out of his sight for a minute anyway and stopped next to his brother. 

“hey, bro.” 

“HELLO, BROTHER.” 

“so... ya goin’ home, or stayin’ here?” 

Edge looked down at Red, who wasn’t meeting his gaze, and had his fists stuffed into his jacket pockets. 

“WHY ARE YOU INTERESTED? I THOUGHT YOU WERE MORE WORRIED ABOUT THE HUMAN.” 

Edge sneered, but Red could tell that he was jealous that his attention had been drawn to someone else. He’d always had trouble with being alone, fear biting at him from memories that he shouldn’t have had- that he wouldn’t have had if their childhood and world had been different. 

Red held back his sigh. “i was jus’ goin’ ta go get some dry clothes, an’ was gonna ask if ya wanted any, too.” 

Edge clenched his jaw, the same back and forth they’d built up over the time they’d had to be anything but affectionate and brotherly in any normal way throughout their lives playing out. “I SUPPOSE IF YOU’RE STAYING, I’D BETTER MAKE SURE YOU DON’T GET DUSTED.” 

Said as though he were doing his brother a favor. 

“thanks, bro,” Red answered with a bit of a grin and more relaxed shoulders before he used a shortcut out of there. 

Classic handed his brother a pair of pajamas and headed upstairs with him to change. 

Maybe he’d just sleep up here. That way he’d be away from (Y/n), so he’d be less likely to be set off accidentally, and he’d be more comfortable than down on the floor anyway. 

Classic nodded to himself in decision, telling his brother his plan before watching as the taller skeleton made his bed, insisting that if left to him, he’d be sleeping on a bare mattress with still folded sheets on top of him. 

He knew it was just Papyrus’ way of showing he cared, though. 

“sorry, bro, i’d be down there hangin’ out with your super cool sleepover party if i could, but i don’t want to chance accidentally doing something unforgivable to the kid.” 

“I KNOW, SANS. I KNOW YOU’D NEVER WANT TO HURT HER.” 

Classic lifted a brow bone in contrariness. “oh? and what'd make ya think that, bro?” 

“YOU LIKE HER.” 

“wha-”

“YOU ALWAYS CALL PEOPLE YOU LIKE KID.” 

“heh. guess ya goat me there, kid,” he teased.

Cream let out a grumbled nyeh of irritation. 

Classic sighed. “i dunno why i’m not showing signs, but i _know_ my heat is comin’. and heats always have a tendency to come at the worst possible moments.” 

“YET ANOTHER REASON WHY IT’S WONDERFUL TO BE THE GREAT PAPYRUS! I’D TAKE BEING GRUMPY AND HAVING URGES THAT I’M GREAT ENOUGH TO IGNORE OVER BEING STUCK IN A ROOM UNABLE TO THINK OF ANYTHING ELSE FOR A WHOLE WEEK ANY DAY.” 

“heh. when you’re right, you’re right, bro.” 

“OF COURSE I AM. GOODNIGHT, BROTHER,” he called over his shoulder as he headed back downstairs, closing the door behind him after his brother's reply. 

Classic climbed into the bed, fully expecting to get the urge to start jerking off like his life depended on it any minute during the night. 

He’d be even more frustratingly stumped than he already was in the morning, when he was still at zero closeness to heat. 

Blue had sent his brother to get some dry pajamas for them and Axe and Bun, since Axe had shortcutted to the lodge when whatever had been scaring (Y/n) happened, and his magic was too unstable for him to use too many shortcuts close together, especially over long distances. 

When Stretch got back, they went to change in pairs, Bun only feeling comfortable leaving (Y/n) because Blue and his brother were there with her. 

Blue stroked (Y/n)’s hand, his eyelights searching her face as he asked, “(Y/N), DO YOU FEEL OK ENOUGH TO TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED?” 

Black’s head perked up at hearing Blue’s question, having just finished changing himself, and wandered over to the group, holding a small box. 

“I- I think so. I feel a lot better, now,” she answered, her face looking to have regained some of the blood that had been absent when they’d all arrived. 

Black listened carefully as she explained to Blue and Axe what had happened, watching for reactions from the reformed skeleton. 

“Wow… SO- SO…” Blue cut off, mulling over the events of the story. 

Black’s eyelights lighted on Axe suspiciously. “DID YOU HAVE A RELAPSE, AXE MURDERER?” 

Axe glared at him threateningly, his arms tightening around (Y/n) as she turned to Black. “what are ya tryin’ ta say, tyrant?” 

“I’M NOT _TRYING_ TO SAY ANYTHING. I’M ONLY ASKING BECAUSE IT’S A POSSIBILITY, AND WE,” he gestured to the others, “CAN ALL BE ACCOUNTED FOR, WHILE THERE ARE NO OTHER SKELETONS AROUND; YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE THAT SEEMS TO FIT THE BILL.”

The group all looked at him, and he turned up his nasal cavity. 

“ASIDE FROM THAT, I BROUGHT THESE FOR YOU, PET,” he said, holding the box out for (Y/n). 

“I’m not your pet,” (Y/n) told him absently, not reaching for the box. 

“I COULD CALL YOU TOY, IF YOU PREFER,” he commented cheekily. 

A sudden understanding hit (Y/n) and she tilted her head as she inspected him. It _almost_ seemed like he was joking… 

“Yeah? And what would you be insisting that I call you?” She asked snidely.

“YOU MAY STILL CALL ME M’LORD,” he told her, looking a bit proud, as though he’d earned the title of royalty. 

“Yeah, how ‘bout no.” 

“TAKE THE BOX, PET,” he insisted, shaking it slightly at her.

“BLACK, STOP HARASSING (Y/N)! WHY DON’T YOU AND MUTT FIND SOMEWHERE TO SLEEP?” Blue almost growled as he took the box for her. 

Axe was glaring at him, hard, so, with a last look to (Y/n), he sniffed and turned with a flourish, as though he were tossing his cape behind him and started back to his brother. 

“Thank you for whatever’s in the box, Black,” (Y/n) called after him, and he paused, walking maybe just a bit higher, and less stiffly as he continued. 

He may not be her favorite, but she would be polite, anyway, after all, he had given her a gift, which she found to be more of the delicious cookies from Muffet’s when she opened it. 

Finally, everyone had calmed down from the excitement, and while some of the skeletons spoke of having a watch schedule, they all settled down. 

There was a bit of fighting, though when Red and Axe both growled that (Y/n) got to choose who slept near her, there was grumbled agreeance, but it was decided. 

She ended up with Bun behind her, Axe insisting that he sleep on the other side of Bun, closer to the door to protect them both, Blue in front of her, somehow rolling in his sleep so that his skull was cuddled to her belly with his arms around her, and Red sleeping splayed slightly along the floor above her, his head toward Blue, and somehow, (Y/n) ended up with her face tucked against the sleeve of his outstretched arm, one hand holding on to the other side of it as they all slept. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will be out shortly! *hums spooky music*
> 
> I wrote something for Halloween, and, actually to practice [smut with Red](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27187447), so here you go!  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	25. Encounter on the lonesome road

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Axe is acting strange, Red is fixing her truck, and Bun is waiting for her to meet him... but something else happens instead.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> While it's only mid summer in the story, in the real world, it's Halloween! Haaaalllllooooooowwwwweeeeeeeeennnnnn! My favorite holiday... even if I don't get to dress up for real this year...  
> There can be _more_ spooky stuff in the middle of summer to still celebrate Halloween!? I love that idea... >:)  
> 

Axe was nowhere to be found for the next few days, except when he would randomly appear, staring at the trees or off into the distance. 

Even Bun didn't know where he went, giving an explanation of, "He Has Things That He Does When He Goes Off, He Never Tells Me Where He Goes, Or What He's Doing Other Than 'watching out', Though."

She didn't blame him, though, since most of the skeletons thought that it had been Axe that had attacked her the night of the storm, theories ranging from 'he shortcuted in to check on her, mistook her for someone else, and tackled her' to 'he had a manic episode' and even 'he missed the taste of humans' from more sour personalities. 

Even (Y/n) couldn't think of anyone else it could have been. 

It had definitely been a skeleton, and they'd been adamant that they were the only ones around. 

She'd seen a red eyelight, too, and there were only three skeletons with red eyelights; Edge, who was too tall for it to have been him, Red, who had been rushing up to the lodge with the other skeletons at the time, and Axe. 

There was also the damning evidence that when the skeleton had got off of her, Axe had been right there. 

Axe himself hadn't even said anything to defend himself. 

(Y/n) walked down the road to where her truck still was, going to meet Red as they had planned, trying to shake those thoughts from her mind and focus on her truck instead. 

When she'd asked why it was taking so long to change the battery, Red had told her that the connection from the battery to the alternator was corroded, so he'd had to take it apart a bit more to get to it to clean it and change the battery cables. 

She was just glad that it didn't look like she'd need anything else done to it, since she didn't have more than twenty dollars in the bank when she'd looked after her shopping trip. 

The skin on the back of (Y/n)'s neck prickled, and she froze, her eyes darting around the trees, searching for what had spooked her. 

She couldn't see anything out of place. No strangers, human or skeleton, no strange objects, broken branches or visible footprints. 

(Y/n) took a breath, calming her nerves, and continued down the path. 

The sun was high in the sky, shining brightly down, and (Y/n) felt like she should be warmed by it, but all she felt was a cold chill, as though a wintery breeze was blowing… but the air was still and calm. 

Maybe the incident during the storm had affected her more than she'd thought it had… 

If she was to think about it deeply, she'd have to admit that she _had_ been feeling this jumpy since that night. 

A shadow fell over the rocky path, and (Y/n)'s eyes jerked to the sky, seeing a bird flying away. 

After watching it leave, she clenched her jaw and shook her head, internally telling herself to get a grip. 

She made it a few more feet before there was a crashing noise, and she felt goosebumps raise down the backs of her arms, sending a feeling of nervousness through her stomach. 

Her eyes swept the area, and she saw a fat squirrel bouncing along the ground before shooting up a tree trunk. 

"Good job, Spider senses, that squirrel could have done some real damage," she muttered to herself sarcastically. "Let me know if there are any other squirrels around." 

She had reached the destroyed cabin between Black and Mutt's cabin and Axe and Bun's cabin, but the eerie feeling of being watched hadn't lessened. 

It occurred to (Y/n) that it may be Axe following her, and she tried to stay calm, but she knew first hand that he was capable of being very dangerous. He was even more dangerous if she didn't know where he was. 

Trying to calm her pounding heart, (Y/n) continued on toward her truck, hoping that if she got there quickly, she'd at least feel better with Red around. 

And the ability to not be out in the open. 

She tried to keep her footsteps quiet, not wanting to be easier to track, and wanting to be able to listen out for anything. 

Even listening as hard as she could, (Y/n) couldn't hear anything- 

Wait. 

She couldn't hear _anything_. Not just if anyone was following her, but birds singing, squirrels and chipmunks, crickets- 

_Nothing._

The goosebumps rose up along the back of her arms again, along the back of her shoulder blades as well this time. 

"Ok, you can stop alerting me to the presence of squirrels," she mumbled jokingly, pushing the panic trying to rise up as far away as she could. 

A crash nearby demanded her attention, her head whipping in its direction. 

A body rounded a tree, and stopped short, red eyelights focused on her. 

" _there_ ya are, doll! ya were takin' s'long i was startin' ta wonder if ya'd gotten lost," Red called out. 

"I-" Wow… How embarrassing to have to admit that she'd been afraid of nothing. 

But her fear must have been visible on her face, because he just looked her over and said, "let's go," waving for her to catch up with him as he turned, his eyelights scanning the area. 

Red showed her the condition the battery cables were in, and she had to agree that they had seen better days, though they didn't look bad enough to have been the problem. 

He assured her, though, that it could have been part of it, and it was probably just the corrosion that had made it a big problem, and the cold had sapped the battery to finish it off. 

The whole time she was there, nothing seemed amiss except for the large amount of parts that seemed like it would be too many for the space it had come out of. 

"jus' gotta put it back together, an' it should be good ta go," Red told her. 

(Y/n) was excited that her truck would finally be fixed, and she would be able to take care of things, and not rely on, or be a burden to anyone. 

She pulled out her phone and checked the time, thanking Red again despite his flushing skull, and told him that she was going to meet Bun, and if he needed her, he had her number, before turning and heading back to the gravel road, refusing when he tried to escort her. 

She'd barely emerged from the trees and taken three steps when she saw Bun, walking towards her. 

Just as (Y/n) was lifting her hand to wave to him, a shadow flew out of the trees, as lithe and lightning fast as a large cat on the attack. 

A startled scream of fright echoed off of the trees as (Y/n) was again pinned to the ground under a skeleton, rocks pressing into her painfully. 

Bun had frozen mid step in surprise, trying to make sense of what he was seeing. It was so distant from him that it was a fuzzy blur, but he was pretty sure that it was (Y/n), and someone else who hadn't been there a moment before. She was afraid, though, and Bun knew he had to help. 

The blur by her looked like it was his brother- almost… The jacket was a slightly different shade, but the hood was up, so it was impossible to tell if there was a crack in the wearer's skull… 

The only other person he could think of that it might be was Classic… 

Who, he realized, was at his time of heat. 

(Y/n) screamed again and Bun realized that Classic could do something very terrible to her, not even in his right mind, and panic started building. 

Even if the person didn't smell like either of them, actually smelling disturbingly like monster dust, his friend was still afraid. He needed to help (Y/n)! He needed to stop him! 

(Y/n) stared up at the face over her, so much like Classic, they could be twins- but the manic smile on his face was, baring the differences in crookedness of teeth, nearly an exact match for the one Sans/ Axe showed. 

His sockets seemed to be open wider than normal, though one drooped slightly, showing a red eyelight, the other sporting a larger red eyelight with a blue center. 

He was on her chest, holding her down, her arms held close to her face in defense. He was so heavy she was having trouble breathing. 

"huh. you're not the kid i'm lookin' for," he commented, sounding a bit frustrated, but emotionless otherwise.

A shiver ran down (Y/n)'s back, the gleam of light off the knife in his hand drawing her attention to it. 

She pushed at him, trying to throw him off by his shoulders, but he didn't move, leaning down to bring his face close to hers. 

"but… you’ll be some good exp, so that i can take ‘em down when i find ‘em,” he told her with a grin. 

(Y/n) tried to throw him again, but she couldn’t get enough leverage. A sense of desperation filled her, and she jabbed out at him under his jaw, trying to hit him in a soft spot. 

It knocked him back, his chin lifting up and his body rocking back, but he came back toward her, his skull getting in close enough to stare into her eyes, an obvious look of confusion twisting his features. 

His hand lifted to the front of his shirt, past the hanging material of his dark, blue-black jacket, the fabric of his dirty, once white shirt clenching in the hand not holding the knife. 

A faint voice, like a whisper on a breeze, floated to (Y/n)'s ears. 

_"Kill… … It doesn't matter- … … kill her!"_

There were gaps in the words, like she was only hearing bits and pieces of the conversation, but hearing that, knowing he had a knife, being pinned- it all brought her primal need for survival to the surface. 

Eyes widening in fear, she gathered both arms, winding them back, fists together like she'd learned all those years ago in gym class for volleyball, and struck out, both fists connecting to the underside of his jaw, knocking him back, just as a large bone swung and hit him in the back, sending him flying as Axe leapt forward, following this new- skeleton, to his landing spot. 

...Was it weird to instantly think his name was Sans? Maybe it was just the strong, undeniable resemblance… 

A stinging on her forearm made (Y/n) come out of her daze, and she shot instinctually into a sitting position to better protect her vital organs. 

It had felt like an eternity trapped under that stranger, but it couldn't have actually been more than a minute; Bun was hurrying to her and he hadn't reached her, yet. 

A tickle like a feather being dragged down her skin brought her attention to where the stinging sensation originated. 

(Y/n) gasped, seeing red starting to roll down her arm at a slightly alarming rate and from the source, it looked like a deeper, almost black red. 

_Life blood,_ the thought ran through her mind, and training ingrained into second nature kicked in. 

I'm going to need stitches. Just have to make it until I can get stitches. 

She wiped her other hand vigorously on her shirt to get any loose rocks off, then pressed it directly over the cut, trying to cover as much as possible, squeezing it back together as tightly as she could, lifting it as high as her chin and bending it tightly at the elbow. 

Towel- shirt- washcloth- something- she needed something to wrap it with, she needed to apply pressure, she needed to get to the hospital. If she had ice or something cold or frozen to put on it even better to help close the capillaries and restrict blood flow. 

I need to wrap it. I need to wrap it. I need to wrap it. 

The thought played in her mind over and over, a mantra as she searched for anything around her to use, vaguely aware of Axe fighting the other skeleton. 

Bun reached her, trying to pull her away, but she stopped him from pulling her arm. 

"Can't move that arm," she told him, sounding maybe a bit too calm. 

Bun was worried and unsure of what to do, she could feel it. She was pretty sure it had to do with the blood, thinking back to how he'd reacted before; he couldn't even look at her when she'd only scraped her hand. 

He did his best to push the fear aside, instead trying to shelter her with his body, determined to keep any errant attacks from hitting her. 

There was a crashing of foliage and Red burst out of the thick bushes on the side of the road, slightly off from where (Y/n) herself had come out. 

He glanced at the two other- 

His name was Sans, too, wasn't it? 

Sanses… 

(Y/n) could feel her body trying to fall into numbness, a feeling that she could only relate to how people on TV and in movies looked when other people declared that they were in shock. 

No. She had to fight it. 

She needed to keep present. 

Shock was bad. 

She liked these monsters very much, but she had no idea if they knew how to treat a human with injuries like this. Could you sew bone back together? Their bones seemed so pliable… like her skin… but bone… 

No. 

Focus! 

(Y/n) roughly blinked her eyes and shook her head a little. 

Red’s hand touched her shoulder- hadn’t she just been staring at him across the road? How did he get next to her so quickly- and through the fight that was going on. He seemed to just disappear and reappear. 

“hey, sweetheart, ya ok?” He patted her cheek to get her to focus on him, his eyelights catching sight of the blood as she gave a hum. “ah, shit…” Red muttered, then tossed the dirty rag hanging out of his pocket onto the ground as he grabbed another, clean one and took her arm in one hand as he maneuvered around her hand to wrap it. “what th’ fuck happened, an’ who th’ hell is that guy?” 

Bun watched Red’s hands, his sockets squinting. “I- I DON’T KNOW WHO IT IS- THEY- THEY JUST APPEARED AND- AND ATTACKED (Y/N).” He felt so helpless, so useless. He didn’t know what to do, though Red seemed to, as (Y/n) wasn’t telling him to stop, like she had him. Even if he did know what to do… he may not be able to see well enough to do it… 

“look at me, sweetheart. ya stay here wit us,” Red told her, pulling his coat off and swinging it around her shoulders. “ya hear me? i ain’t gonna let ya go anywhere- so jus’ keep yer ass right here.” 

The sound of loud music and singing echoed around as a slightly dusty, red drop top crawled up the road. 

“I SAID, NYEEEHEEHEEEHEHEH! NYEEEHEEEEHEEEH! I SAID NYEH! I SAID- OH MY GOD!” Cream cried out as his car bounced to a stop, the engine quickly turning off before he jumped out and rushed to the three on the ground in only a few strides. “WHAT HAPPENED?!” 

“she’s hurt- bleedin’, bad- ya got this, cream? ‘cause i got some coccyx to go crush,” Red growled, glaring over at the two still fighting, his left eye lighting up. 

Cream nodded, giving Red the go ahead, and the angry skeleton rose, yelling, “‘ey! new guy! ya dun fucked up, now- ‘cause y’re _really_ pissin’ me off!” 

(Y/n) looked up at Cream as he gently guided her arm to him, peeling up the edge of the cloth. 

“What Happened, (Y/n)?” He asked softly. 

“He cut me… It’s deep, I need stitches,” she told him. 

Cream took a breath and held his hands close to her arm, a green haze glowing around them, soaking into her wound and leaving a feeling of cool mint, like eating a peppermint candy outside when it’s snowing and breathing in through your mouth. 

Or, like when she had stressed her muscles too much that one time, and had put icy hot on them, a cooling burn filling her skin. 

“Is She Going To Be Ok?” Bun asked quietly. 

“SHE’LL BE FINE, DON’T WORRY, BUN,” Cream assured him as (Y/n) relaxed back into his hold. 

Sans glared at the two weird copies of him, dodging another attack. 

Of course, in a reality where multiple timelines existed, which he knew first hand, certainly there were alternate realities or universes, so it wasn’t too strange that they existed, or that they looked different than him. 

No. The weird thing was that they were _protecting_ a _human._

Why in any of the realms of hell he’d heard of or experienced would versions of himself be doing that? 

Had that kid tricked them? Forced them into it? That demon child would stop at nothing to torment him… He wouldn’t put it past them to mess with the timeline so much that they’d find other versions of him just to mess with them. 

He was dodging the cracked version of him, watching his moves with his cleaver and wondering why he wasn’t using any magic attacks. Had something happened? That hole in his skull couldn’t be helping with it, and- now that he was looking a little closer, what was up with his eye? That didn’t look like his eye. 

The pointy, black and red version of him with a gold tooth came at him, spouting threats. 

Oh, good, an edgy pretentious version of himself to make him feel ashamed of himself for being capable of that. 

Sans let out an irritated sigh and twisted to dodge a bone thrown at him while also dodging the cleaver. 

“listen, you two- i dunno why you’re fighting for that human, but i’ll dust ya if i have to. myself or not. heh... in fact, ya could call it cathartic; a good way to punish myself for all of the awful things i had to do,” he chuckled, tugging lightly at the scarf around his vertebrae. 

The two looked at each other, glaring, then nodding. 

Sans had only a split second to read the situation before a pissed off looking blaster appeared and aimed while the cracked skeleton swung, giving him not much space to escape, especially as a wall of bones shot up to block one side, and the edgy one swung a bone at him. 

Sans cursed and shortcuted out of the small space, giving a glare at the two. 

_“WHY ARE YOU ALWAYS SO USELESS, SANS?”_

“sorry, paps,” Sans muttered. 

_“I DIED FOR NOTHING IF YOU DON’T KILL THE HUMAN. IS THAT WHAT YOU WANT?”_

“no- no, i won’t let you die for nothin'… i’ll bring ya back, paps- i swear-” 

_“YOU’D BETTER, SANS!! NOW GET YOUR LAZY COCCYX IN GEAR AND FIND THE HUMAN AND_ **_KILL_ ** _THEM!”_

“when you’re right, you’re right, bro,” Sans murmured. 

He needed to get out of here and find the human before they caused more harm. It wouldn’t do to waste all of his hp and time messing around here. If he was dusted before they reset, he’d have to go through all of the trouble of killing everyone in the underground again, including Papyrus… He’d forgive him, like he did before, after he’d explained, but… he still didn’t like doing it. 

Sans found a clean escape as the two Papyruses helped the human -his soul giving a confusing throb at the sight of her- and the other hims were preparing another attack, and quickly shortcutted with a smirk and a sarcastic salute. 

He watched the group from his spot hidden in the trees, one hand digging at his chest, annoyed by the feeling his soul was making. What the hell was it doing? He needed to find out, before that human could use it against him, as she likely had the other hims. 

Sans shook his head and turned to leave. 

He did need to find that out, but he also needed to find the kid and take care of them first. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hums spooky music* My favorite time of the year... always. Happy Halloween!!
> 
> I wrote something for Halloween, and, actually to practice [smut with Red](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27187447), so here you go!  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, dare I hope... more fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	26. Too much... getting a migraine...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> (Y/n) wakes up after passing out from one of the scariest moments of her life, and spends more time with some of the boys, maybe seeing a new side of someone, or someone _s?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who has read, kudosed, and especially commented! There are a few I haven't answered, yet, I wanted to get this out and am super tired after work- I'm doing a bit of self care (eating ice cream, reading, and nap) and I'll try to reply to everything tomorrow! 💖💖💖
> 
> You know how you feel like you're getting no where, just wandering around, wanting to be somewhere, and then in the blink of an eye, you find out that you're already there? That's how this story feels sometimes! _What_ chapter did she start getting suspicious about the skeletons? _When_ did she learn about heats? _How long_ since she's been hoping to get answers and figure this shit out? _Where_ is the freaking smut and romance?!  
> Well... She still doesn't, and we're still not quite there, yet, but we're a hell of a lot closer than we were! Like, four things planned to happen in the next three/ four chapters! Woot!

(Y/n) felt tired when she opened her eyes. Her eyelids were heavy, despite having just woken up. She blinked slowly as she looked around, seeing Red standing at the window, eyelights anxiously scanning outside, but they glanced back at her and he jerked in surprise, turning to her and hurrying to her side. 

Bun was quietly talking to Cream- quietly enough that she couldn’t hear them from the other side of the room. 

“hey, doll, y’re awake,” Red murmured. 

The other two turned at Red’s voice and moved closer, looking almost like twins- as long as you didn’t take the details in too deep. 

The door opened, roughly landing against the wall behind it, and quick bootsteps made their way to the couch she was laying on, revealing Mutt as he came into her line of sight. 

“sugar, what th- what the hell happened-” 

He was trying to get close enough to scoop her up, but Red stepped between them, seeming to puff up, his red sweatshirt not looking as fluffy for some reason… 

His coat- he didn’t have his fluffy coat… 

Because _she_ had it, (Y/n) realized as the puffy outerwear rustled around her as she moved. 

Mutt stepped closer, glaring at Red, who gritted his sharp teeth at him threateningly. 

“ _muuuutt_ ,” Red growled, watching as the lanky skeleton knelt next to the couch and laid his upper body on her, arms wrapping around her legs. 

He didn’t say anything, but stared Red down as his skull nuzzled against her. 

“Wh-what happened, where’s San- A-Axe? Where’s Axe?” (Y/n) asked, voice steady, though her tone was worn out and tired. 

Bun kneeled next to Mutt, but near her head, leaning close to have a better view of her. “He’s Out Guarding The Lodge And Searching For That-” He cut himself off, seeming to feel that he was about to give something away he wasn’t supposed to. 

“DON’T WORRY, (Y/N), AXE WAS FINE THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM,” Cream told her. 

“But- but, I don’t- the last thing I remember was…” Her eyes scanned around the room as she thought back. “I… the truck- ...Red was there… Bun- I- I don’t… I don’t know what happened last- it’s all a jumbled mess-” 

Cream patted her arm as Bun kept her laying down, warning against getting up too fast. 

“DON’T WORRY, (Y/N), IT’S NORMAL AFTER A TRAUMA TO BE A BIT JUMBLED. JUST TAKE YOUR TIME, TELL US WHAT YOU REMEMBER; WE CAN TRY TO HELP YOU PUT THINGS IN ORDER.” 

“I… I remember seeing my truck- I remember Red being in the forest, and I remember being really weirded out, like- uncomfortable,” the others didn’t say anything, but a couple nodded encouragingly, so she continued, “and also, Bun, walking toward me- but Red was there, too… but he wasn’t?” 

“i didn’t get ta ya ‘til after ya were a’ready cut, sweetheart,” Red admitted, sounding a bit strange. Bun nodded in agreement, though, so it was true. 

(Y/n) thought back, the picture seeming a bit clearer, now. “There was- last- when the storm! There was another skeleton!” She looked at Bun. “It wasn’t Sa- _your_ brother Sans.” Bun nodded. “Wh-why didn’t he say anything if everyone was suspecting him?” 

“Well…” Bun’s skull tilted away as he hesitated. “He Said That If The Others Knew That It Wasn’t Him, They’d Be Looking For Whoever It Was That Scared You That Night-” Red and Mutt both growled in agreement, “But That Would Just Tip Them Off And They Would Hide And Be Harder To Find, But… If They All Thought It Was Him, The Culprit Would Think They Were Safe And Wouldn’t Be As Careful, And Easier For Sans To Find…”

Mutt hummed from where he was on her legs. “pretty legit strategy…” 

Red gave a nod in agreement, looking thoughtful. 

“who the hell left the door open- what the hell am i doin’ if ya just leave the fuckin’ door open!” Axe grumbled to himself as he shut the door behind him, walking in to see them all around the couch and going to them. 

“Hey, S- B-Bethany…” (Y/n) greeted, trying to sound genuinely friendly and not like she’d had doubts about him. 

His jaw twitched up. “hey, lamb,” he greeted back. He looked over to Mutt and glared, but the taller skeleton didn’t budge, so he sat on the edge of the couch near her hips, facing the room, but skull turned towards her. “how’re ya doin’?” 

“Oh, y’know… kinda confused. Do… do _you_ know what happened?” 

Axe shrugged. “kinda. pretty sure… you were confused for someone else.” 

An emotionless flat voice saying, _“you’re not the kid i’m lookin’ for,”_ floated through her memory. 

“That makes sense,” she murmured. 

“but, i can’t find him anywhere, or find his scent anywhere, and i can’t feel his soul anywhere, either. so, ‘least we got that workin’ for us.” 

(Y/n) gave a watery smile… then asked her next question. “Who was it?” 

Everyone but Axe tensed. 

And then they all started talking at once, sputtering and hurriedly trying to make excuses. 

“‘s better ta talk about when classic’s here… i forget some stuff sometimes,” Axe told her. 

Bun looked at his brother uncomfortably. “I Don’t Think- He Would Know What You Mean, Brother…” 

Axe was distracted from anything anyone else said, though, as the delicious smell following (Y/n) seeped into his nasal cavity. 

Mutt gave a rough noise like clearing his throat, his eyelights staring holes into Axe before flicking down pointedly to his pelvis, not too far from his skull. “i get where you’re comin’ from, but, uh, don’t really want ya _comin’_ this close…” 

Axe looked down and chuckled, shoving his hands into his pockets as he stood and talking to her over his shoulder. “pretty sure that’s my que ta get back out there. see ya little lamb.” 

(Y/n) looked at the spot where he’d just stood, blinking in confusion. “I… he didn’t walk out… did he? Like… I didn’t miss him walking out?” 

“No…?” Bun questioned. 

“But… he was right there- and Red did that- right?” She looked at him for an answer. “When- on the road… right?” 

Red nodded. “yeah, i took a shortcut ta ya.” 

(Y/n) shook her head, closing her eyes. “That’s- it’s too much… I’m… I’m getting a headache…” 

Cream shooed everyone but Bun away, though they didn’t leave, instead just moving to the kitchen and digging through the snacks looking for something to munch on while they’d been kicked out of the gathering room. 

. 

Blue hurried to the lodge, trying not to tip his bike while still being fast, and saw Black as he hastily parked and climbed off, his helmet landing on the seat. 

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?" 

"SAME AS YOU, I PRESUME," Black snarked. 

"BUT, YOU DON'T KNOW HER," Blue argued. 

"OH, AND I SUPPOSE THAT THE TWO OF YOU ARE BOSOM BUDDIES? HOW WOULD I GET TO KNOW HER IF I DON'T SPEND TIME WITH HER?" Black pointed out. "REALLY. _TRY_ TO THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK." 

Blue gave him a look that showed how he felt about how entitled he was acting, and stepped up to move past him, but stopped and looked back at him. 

"WE SHOULD TRY TO BE CIVIL AROUND HER." 

"OF COURSE," Black agreed. “IF YOU CAN MANAGE.” 

(Y/n) looked up from her arm as the door opened and Blue and Black came towards her. 

"(Y/N), ARE YOU OK?" Blue asked as he quickly walked to her. 

"I'm alright, my arm barely has a scar on it." She showed him the spot on her arm with off color scar tissue. "Cream healed it." 

Blue reached out and softly touched her arm, his eyelights flicking to meet her gaze. 

Black nudged in to look at the scar, his hand wrapping around her wrist to hold her steady as he studied it. 

Blue shot him an irritated look, but took his attention from him as he noticed that Red's coat had been tucked around her shoulders. 

His expression turned sullen as he plucked at it, tugging at it a bit. 

"What are you doing?" (Y/n) asked him as Black examined her arm. 

Blue let go and turned away, trying to push down the huff he wanted to give. "Nothing…" 

"IS THE MUTT HERE," Black asked, lingering his fingers on her wrist. 

"m'lord," came the answer to his question from the skeleton himself as he entered from the kitchen. 

Black nodded slightly, but then looked over (Y/n) and turned back to his brother. 

"WHY DIDN'T YOU STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING?" He demanded. 

"wasn't here," came his brother's short reply. 

"WHERE THE HELL WERE YOU?!" 

"work." 

Black almost growled, "THE _ONE_ TIME YOU DECIDE TO NOT BE A LAZYASS, AND ACTUALLY TAKE CARE OF YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES- _THIS_ HAPPENS!" 

Mutt grumbled in agreement. 

(Y/n) watched the interaction, wondering for a moment if Black was blaming the taller skeleton, or upset that it had happened the "one time" he had been gone actually taking care of responsibilities. 

If that was the case- was Mutt agreeing, also upset that he could have been there to help? 

A weight rested on her chest, and (Y/n) looked up at Blue as he laid his heavy leather jacket over her. 

"TO KEEP YOU WARM," he told her. 

"Th-thanks," (Y/n) managed to stutter out, her attention consumed by how he looked with his jacket off. 

Despite being a skeleton, Blue's clothes looked well filled out, and not just because he seemed to have a bit of pudge. His light grey undershirt was nearly tight across his ribcage under his darker, unbuttoned uniform shirt, which hung open around him, the shiny Deltarune symbol on the chest showing that he was a member of the Royal guard. And his dark pants somehow seemed to show definition to his legs down to where they were tucked into his blue boots. 

Suddenly… (Y/n) understood why some people had a thing for people in uniforms… 

"THERE'S A BLANKET AROUND SHE COULD USE, I'M SURE," Black chided. 

Blue sent a glare at him, and the way his expression fell from the slightly amused, gentle smirk to the irritated brow bone furrow directed at Black made (Y/n) realize that she… may have been staring… 

She tried not to let her embarrassment show, and climbed up, holding Blue's jacket to him, saying, “I’ve got to go take care of something…” 

“PET, ARE YOU INJURED SOMEWHERE ELSE? YOU’RE BLEEDING!” Black- yelled, oh god, he yelled that loud enough that the other skeletons raced out of the kitchen to check on her. 

(Y/n) clenched her jaw and tried to look at the back of her pants, fighting the embarrassment. 

“(Y/N) ARE YOU STILL INJURED?! I WAS CERTAIN THAT I’D HEALED YOU COMPLETELY!” Cream cried out as he jogged long strides to her, followed closely by Bun, Red only not in the lead because the tall skeletons blocked the way. 

Red appeared near her after a shortcut, while Mutt was already too close trying to search her for injuries, luckily without touching her. 

“I- guys, I-” She tried to cut in on all the voices, but they were so worried, looking her over and questioning her status that they weren’t listening. 

Blue noticed what had set the whole thing in motion and grimaced. 

“EVERYONE!” His voice caused most of the panicking to calm as they looked over her. “RELAX. I BELIEVE THIS IS JUST ONE OF THE STAGES OF HER HEAT CYCLE. RIGHT?” 

(Y/n) took a breath to compose herself and nodded, telling herself to take it from a completely clinical standpoint to avoid embarrassment. “Yeah, it’s part of my cycle…” 

Bun chose that moment to speak up. “Oh! No Wonder Sans Was- Nyeh Heh…” He chuckled nervously as his cheeks started to faintly glow with magic. 

“DON’T WORRY, (Y/N), YOU GO TAKE CARE OF WHATEVER YOU NEED TO TAKE CARE OF, I’LL HANDLE THEM,” Blue told her, handing her his jacket back. “IF YOU WANTED TO USE IT FOR COVER,” was his explanation this time. 

She took it, holding it behind her and quickly heading to the bathroom upstairs. 

“WHAT GOD DAMN PART OF A HEAT CYCLE WOULD CAUSE _BLEEDING?!”_ Black demanded. 

“In A Human’s Mating Cycle, (Y/n) Told Me That Their Bodies Build Up A Layer Of Tissue -A Little Like Their Internal Flesh, I Suppose- To Nourish The Child If They Conceive. If They Don’t Conceive, However, Their Bodies Break Down And Expel The Tissue… The- Um… From The Same Path The Conceiving Would Have Happened,” Bun explained before Blue could even start. 

“they- they bleed out the-” Mutt’s expression remained unaffected, but internally he was processing the new information, comparing it to memories. “oh... oh, yeah, ok. that makes sense, now…” 

Black glared at him. “DO I EVEN WANT TO THINK ABOUT ASKING WHAT YOU’RE MUTTERING TO YOURSELF ABOUT?” 

Mutt let a smirk hang on his jaw. “nah, probably not, m’lord.” 

Red just shrugged with his hands in his pockets when they all looked at him. “i ain’t scared a th’ red flood. don’t mean closed fer business, jus’ means ya gotta change yer pace a bit.” 

“WHY DO YOU SOUND SO KNOWLEDGEABLE ABOUT THIS ALREADY?” Blue asked suspiciously. 

“c’mon, lil blue,” Red teased in a singsong voice, “th’ human ladies love me. so it ain’t that new ta me.”

“I CAN ONLY IMAGINE WHAT EDGE WOULD HAVE TO DEAL WITH IF YOU WERE AS POPULAR AS YOU THINK YOU ARE,” Black shot at him, and Blue nodded. 

“aw, what’s wrong, tyrant, jealous that ya have ta try ta pick off the scraps yer mutt brings home ‘cause ya can’t get any a yer own?” 

Mutt stepped to face Red, unamused, but Black put a hand on his arm. 

“IT’S LESS THAT YOU’VE HAD THEM, AND MORE THAT YOU DON’T HAVE THE COURTESY NOT TO _PARADE_ YOUR TRAIN OF… _PARTNERS…_ THROUGH THE HOUSE LIKE A TRASHY BRAGGART… HNFFFT... UNCOUTH,” Black taunted, a bit of a smug smirk on his face as he folded his arms. 

Red glared at him, growling curses under his breath. 

“STOP, PLEASE, YOU TWO,” Cream tried to mediate. 

“IF YOU WEREN’T SO DEEPLY INVOLVED IN TRYING TO MAKE YOURSELF SEEM MORE DESIRABLE THAN YOU ARE, YOU WOULD HAVE NOTICED BLUE TRYING TO PUT HIS SCENT ON MY PET TO COVER YOUR OWN. AGAIN.” 

All eyelights turned to Blue, who flushed his namesake with his magic. “NO! I WASN’T! WE TALKED ABOUT IT, AND SHE DOESN’T LIKE IT WHEN _ANYONE_ SCENTS HER,” he glared at Red, “THOUGH SHE MAY HAVE A DIFFERENT REACTION AFTER SHE GETS TO KNOW THE PERSON BETTER…” 

“YOU- YOU _TALKED_ TO HER ABOUT SCENTING?!” Black demanded in shock. 

“YES,” Blue admitted a bit smugly. 

That seemed to get Black annoyed. 

“fuck, i haven’t gotten a damn _hug_ , yet,” Mutt muttered to himself. 

“Y-You Shouldn’t Be Trying To Compete For (Y/n)’s Attentions Like It’s A Game,” Bun scolded them. “It Can Be Very… Hurtful.” 

Blue took a shocked breath. “I’D NEVER-! I’D _NEVER_ DO ANYTHING TO HURT A LADY- ESPECIALLY (Y/N)!” 

“IT ISN’T A GAME,” Black declared. “I SHALL GAIN HER AFFECTIONS, BECAUSE NONE OF _YOU_ DESERVE THEM, WHILE _I_ CERTAINLY DO.” 

“i ain’t a player, jus’ good wit th’ ladies, bun,” Red told him. “i know how ta do what they like- an’ they like when i do it.” 

Cream was wringing his hands, looking at them all uncertainly, glancing back to the hallway. “YOU SHOULD ALL STOP BEING SO CRASS,” he told them as he folded his arms. 

“I Agree,” Bun supported, folding his arms in a near mirror image- if the mirror had been shattered. 

“what happened,” Classic asked as he appeared in the room with a shortcut, looking very worn out. 

“BROTHER, YOU DON’T LOOK WELL,” Cream commented worriedly. 

“nah, ‘m fine, paps. just-” he paused for a long yawn, “tryin’ to figure all this stuff out.” 

“ain’t ya supposed ta be in heat?” Red asked, and Mutt made a noise in agreement, seconding his question. 

“one of the things i’m tryin’ to figure out.” 

There was a soft thump and the room turned to look at (Y/n) against the wall, her arms halfheartedly brought up in a defensive pose, her eyes on Classic and Blue’s jacket dropped on the floor at her feet. 

“ya ok, kid?” He asked. 

Red and Blue were already hurrying to her side to offer comfort, getting in an almost scuffle, while Black made his way toward her as well, taking her elbow and turning her back down the hallway, turning back to gesture and call, “MUTT, COME- BUN… YOU AS WELL.” 

The two followed after them as Red and Blue bickered quietly- as quietly as possible, anyway. 

Black dismissed Mutt with a flick of his wrist, and he went to the pantry to gather things to make her a comforting tea, and Bun followed, trying to find a snack to take her mind off of it. 

Black sat her on the bench seat along the wall behind the dining table and kept her hand in his as he sat next to her- _very_ next to her… with his femur nearly pressed against her thigh, in fact. 

“ARE YOU ALRIGHT, PET,” he asked, stroking the back of her hand. 

“I- yeah, I’m ok, now, I just- ...I’m fine.” 

“YOU’RE NOT FINE, DON’T LIE TO ME… I Hate It When People Lie To Me…” He muttered. “YOU’LL FEEL BETTER IF YOU TELL ME, YOU KNOW.” 

(Y/n) blinked at him for a moment. “Do… do you know if there are any other skeletons, other than you ten?” 

“NO, WE ARE THE ONLY SKELETONS THAT I KNOW OF- AND THERE _SHOULDN’T_ BE MORE,” he told her. 

“There… there’s another skeleton…” 

He gazed at her, startled, but questioning. 

“He- he looks just like… he looks just like Classic…” 

Black patted her hand softly, then trailed his hand to her forearm, holding it and her hand with the other, as though bracing her. “ONE? ONLY ONE?” 

“Yeah?” 

“THAT LOOKED LIKE CLASSIC?” 

“Yeah,” she agreed. 

“THERE WERE _NO_ OTHER SKELETONS, TALL OR OTHERWISE?”

“No…?” 

Black’s eyelights turned to his hands on hers before lifting back up. “WAS HE SCARRED?” 

“N-not that I could tell- he literally looked exactly like Classic- except for his eyes- uh, eyelights…” 

Black clenched his jaw, giving a comforting squeeze. “YOU’RE GOING TO BE ALRIGHT, PET.” 

“Black- I’m not your pe-” 

He gently hushed her as the other two came back into the main kitchen area. 

“IT TOOK YOU LONG ENOUGH, MUTT. WHAT DID YOU DO, GROW THE LEAVES YOURSELF?” 

Mutt just made the drink with an offhanded, “yes, m’lord.” 

Bun sat across from them, offering the snack he’d brought, and (Y/n) accepted it with a smile. “Thanks, Bun.” 

“It’s No Problem,” he answered. 

“BEC-” Black cut himself off, taking a breath and a moment to compose himself and what he was going to say. “A SHAME I DON’T HAVE MORE OF MUFFET’S TREATS TO OFFER.” 

Mutt came to the table, sitting on the other side of her from Black, also very close. 

These two were so close- what the hell were they doing?! It was creepy as hell to be boxed in like this. The only thing comforting her was that Bun was there and that she wasn’t alone. 

(Y/n) blew on the tea and sipped, taking in the flavor. 

It tasted like nothing she’d ever had before. 

“Th-thanks, Mutt… this tea is… interesting,” she told him. 

Mutt murmured, “golden flower tea. it’s not as good as tem tea, but it’ll do the trick in a pinch.” 

Was it just her imagination, or was that the most she’d ever heard him speak at one time? She tried to think back to double check herself, but was distracted by the weird feeling of Mutt plucking at the hem of her shirt. 

Again… what the hell were these two doing?! 

Black had her hand and wouldn’t let go, nearly sitting against her, eyelights focused on where he was touching her, and Mutt only left enough space that he could tug at her shirt, and watch his phalanges do it! 

(Y/n) felt Mutt’s femur touch her knee and stay there. 

It was a non sexual touch, but he didn’t seem interested in letting it end anyway. He started shifting his leg to actually brush his leg against her, still tugging at her shirt. 

(Y/n) held her eye roll as hard as she could, their focus turning to the ceiling as she tried to gather patience and not just smack them and scream at them to stop. 

Good gravy, these two were so _annoying!_ It was almost like they were- 

And it occurred to her, making her freeze for a moment. 

Maybe they _were-_

If Bun and Sans lived in a place where there was famine, nothing like the rest of the Underground that she’d heard of, was it possible that these two came from a place where… everyone was touch starved? 

(Y/n) glanced at them, then set her teacup down and tugged her hand from Black, who reluctantly let it go, but seemed to not care if she took it- on the outside, anyway. When the only thing she did was lift up her arms and hold them behind them as though she were gathering them to her, all it took was a nudge before they were on her. 

Black was sitting against her side, trying to look respectable, though, just out of sight under the table, his arms were clinging around her waist, his gloved phalanges digging into fistfuls of her shirt, while Mutt apparently had no shame, arms draped around her as he practically laid against her, his skull resting against her head. 

“finally get my hug now, huh?” Mutt teased, nuzzling against her, making his deep voice vibrate through her and his breath brush over her ear and neck, sending a shiver down her spine. 

“Did… did no one ever hug where you guys lived?” (Y/n) asked. 

Black looked taken aback. “WHY WOULD ANYONE HUG?” 

(Y/n) looked down at him in question. “So they don’t end up touch starved?” 

“TOUCH STARVED?” Black questioned as he leaned back. 

“Besides, Hugs Are Nice,” Bun put in. 

“People need touch, it’s something they crave as much as food or water,” (Y/n) added. 

Black pulled away with a huff. “HUMANS MAY BE THAT WEAK, BUT I, THE MALEFICENT BLACK, AM STRONGER THAN THAT! _I_ WOULD NEVER BE WEAK ENOUGH TO REQUIRE BEING _HUGGED.”_

Mutt had nuzzled into her neck, letting her hair tickle his skull. “i can admit when i’m weak,” he intoned, and sent another shiver through her. “and it’s not often.” 

She couldn’t tell if the tiny nip at the end was on purpose, or accidental because he was so close. 

A strange rattling started near her, and it took her a moment to figure out that it was coming from Mutt. 

Bun gave a soft chuckle and sipped his own drink. “Sounds As Though Someone Likes Hugs After All.” 

Mutt gave a single “nyeh” of a laugh and gave another tiny nip to the back of her neck. 

“Ok, enough hugging for you, bitey,” (Y/n) claimed as she brought her arm back around him and pushed him away. 

“sorry, darlin’ some dogs bite when they’re happy,” he murmured to her. 

“Do Not Bite (Y/n),” Bun sternly told Mutt, then glanced at her blur and felt his cheekbones heat a bit with magic. “U-Unless… Unless She’s… S-Said It’s Ok…” 

“Yeah, what Bun said,” (Y/n) told him, pushing the tall skeleton further away. 

He leaned back and gave an injured sigh. “alright, darlin’ if ya wanna play it like that.” 

Black humphed and muttered something about lowly dogs, and maybe something about them needing love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OMG... Can you believe I finally got another chapter of [Captive Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097) out?!  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	27. Finally, some answers!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Finally, some answers!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, everyone! For showing so much support for this story, the reads, the kudos, the comments- the gorgeous art! 😍❤ I have changed the background of my phone at least twice.  
> Sorry this chapter is a little late, it's long, and I've been so exhausted that I haven't been able to focus on editing it. I'm not 100% sure I'm happy with it, but if I try to do anything else with it, it just feels more wrong... and if I try to put anything else in it, it feels like I'm just trying to jam stuff in. So I hope that you like it!  
> There are quite a few arts at the bottom this time!

It took about a week before (Y/n) could get Classic to agree to come talk to her about what happened. 

He explained that it wasn't her or avoidance, though she was pretty sure at least a little of it was avoidance. 

"i'm supposed to be starting my heat, about two weeks overdue, actually, and- well, ya remember how blue and red were when we first met, right? that was pretty mild for a heat, not really even anything to get worried about. not like a real heat." 

But finally, it seemed that he'd finally given up waiting for it, and (Y/n) was glad; she wanted some goddamn answers! Though she did understand the agonizing that went with a late cycle. Was it going to start suddenly, at the most inopportune time? Did she dare wear those light colored pants? Did she dare forget the cramp relief today? It was different, of course, but, she felt like it would still have some of the same worries. 

It was another three days until he could get everyone he wanted there for the conversation together, while she insisted that she wanted Axe there, as he was the only one who never skirted around it. 

In the meantime, Red had fixed her truck, and when she'd looked under the hood… there was a suspiciously clean part- not that the engine was particularly dirty, but it was an older truck, so there was some grime that it had accumulated over the years, and no matter _what_ Red said, there was no way that he'd cleaned it well enough to look like a brand new part. 

She had the suspicion, and access to engine diagrams via the internet, and quickly came to the almost-completely-sure, as in, only needing to be confirmed by a professional, conclusion that the very clean part was the alternator. And she was near certain that it was new. 

. 

Axe was the first to arrive, staring out the window as the others arrived. 

(Y/n) sat in one of the chairs pulled away from all the others so that no one could fight over who got to sit next to her. They didn’t need another situation like her “interview”. 

Red showed up next, greeting her softly, looking a bit skittish and sitting in another chair, probably so that no one sat next to him, as well. But also, he had a good view of the whole room. 

Mutt arrived next, sauntering in and stopping in front of (Y/n). “hey, there, darlin’,” he greeted. 

She looked up at him and greeted him back with a tight smile and a hi. 

Mutt proceeded to kneel on the ground next to her chair and try to lay his skull on her lap. 

Red growled, phalanges gripping the armrests of his chair enough to dimple them as he leaned forward, looking ready to leap into an attack and glared at the other skeleton. "sit in a fuckin' chair, mutt." 

Mutt's sharp grin widened. "ok." 

He stood and moved to sit in (Y/n)'s lap, but she realized what he was aiming for and put her arms out to prevent him from his goal. 

"Your _own_ chair, Mutt." 

"aww, alright, darlin', if ya wanna play it that way," he told her with a teasing tone in his voice as he sat on the couch. 

"what's that supposed ta mean?" Red demanded. 

"wouldn't _you_ like ta know?" Mutt smirked. 

"'s a matter a fact-" 

"shut up," Axe interrupted. "stars, it's like dealing with babybones. can't believe i'm relative ta either of ya," he muttered to himself, still staring out the window. 

Classic came through the door next, looking exhausted, and went straight back to the kitchen to get coffee. 

"COME _ON,_ PAPPY!" Blue's voice was audible before they even got to the door, and he and his brother entered the room, Blue pushing at Stretch's back as Stretch let him take his whole weight and laid back over the shorter brother. 

Classic trudged into the room with his mug of instant coffee, looking over the two. 

"blue's here, too?" He asked, giving Stretch a doubtful look. 

Blue stepped from around his brother, who almost fell, but for some magic that let him disobey gravity. 

"IT'S AN IMPORTANT MEETING, OF COURSE I'M HERE!" Blue told him, looking a little like an offended kid. 

"he wouldn't stay home," Stretch muttered. 

Blue shot him a look, but switched the glare to Classic as he spoke. 

"uuh- no offense. it's just- was tryin' to keep it small, only the people who needed to be here-" 

"I AM NOT A CHILD. I HAVE EVERY RIGHT TO BE HERE THAT _YOU_ DO, _SANS,"_ he snapped. 

Classic stopped and his teeth clicked closed. He looked like he was about to say something, but shifted his eyelights around a bit and just turned and went to a couch and plopped down, nursing his steaming mug. 

Blue gave (Y/n) a smile as he came to her, giving a slight, almost unnoticeable, bow as he sat down on a couch and his brother sat next to him. 

"Don't you have work, Blue?" (Y/n) asked. 

"I CALLED OFF FOR TODAY." 

"Won't you get in trouble for calling off with such short notice?" 

He beamed at her. "THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN, (Y/N), BUT IT'S FINE. I'M NOT NEEDED AT ALL TIMES, MOSTLY JUST WHEN THE DEPARTMENT AND THE EMBASSY NEED TO COMMUNICATE. OTHERWISE, I'M USUALLY TRAINING OR DOING BUSY WORK." 

"Oh," she nodded. 

"everyone here?" Axe asked. 

"yeah," Classic muttered into his mug. 

"got somethin' ta say before we start, then." Axe turned away from the window and stood next to (Y/n)'s chair. 

Red and Blue both stiffened, sockets pinching and posture leaning forward. 

Classic clenched his jaw, feeling an itch starting on his back. 

"the guy that attacked lamb 's gone." There was a bit of a quiet commotion as they all shifted and muttered nervously before he continued. "i can't track his scent or soul anywhere on the mountain." 

"shit… another thing for me to fix… fantastic..." Classic muttered into the hand over his face. 

He looked so thoroughly wiped out and overwhelmed that, for the first time since the job was mentioned, she actually believed that it hadn't been made up on the spot for some reason. 

Red didn't look too happy with that information, either, seeming to turn a bit inward as though he were trying to figure something out. 

Blue, on the other hand, shifted, an unhappy look on his skull as his fist tightened and he leaned forward, like he was waiting for some directive, some action that he could take to solve this. 

Stretch, though, just looked annoyed, like someone's dog had gotten out in his yard and he had to catch it. 

Mutt- Mutt seemed to be the most confusing of all. 

While it was easy to tell that Classic was stressed, Red was planning, Blue was wishing for action, and Stretch was irritated, Mutt was impassive. 

"So- who… Who was it?" (Y/n) asked, breaking the silence. 

That was why they were all there, after all. 

"weelll… so, we thought that we were the only ones in our family around here-" Classic started, but (Y/n) cut him off. 

"Yeah, no. You all _told me_ that there were _no other_ skeletons, not only here, but no other skeletons." 

Red winced, though the others, except Axe and Mutt looked worried and the air got a little tense with nervousness. 

"there weren't," Axe told her. 

She looked at him in question. 

"AXE," Blue seemed to scold, sounding urgent. 

"There _weren't_?" Axe tilted his skull in agreement. "But there are _now…?"_ She asked uncertainly. 

Another nod, and (Y/n) was more than a bit thrown off. 

"axe," Classic hissed. "what the hell are ya doing?" 

Axe scoffed. "how long do ya think ya can pull this off, huh? she's not gonna put up with non answers forever, if at all." 

Classic just seemed to be getting more and more tense with every word. "h-heh- ya- sound a bit off, ya know that, right, axe?" 

Axe's expression seemed to gather some anger. "what the fuck do ya think you're playin', vanilla?! he looked **_exactly_ ** _like you_! exactly! more than _i_ do!" 

Classic glared at Axe, looking like a fire had started somewhere inside him. 

"Ha, wh-what?" (Y/n) asked, trying to make light and defuse the tension. "L-like a scifi movie?" Everyone but Axe looked at her. "Are you saying we're in like, _Multiplicity_ or something?" 

Stretch huffed out a laugh, pulling out his vape and taking a puff. "we're not freakin' _clones_."

(Y/n) was silent for a moment, but apparently it was enough to make Classic nervous. 

"nothing weird is going on here!" 

"I have to disagree, Class- _Sans_ ," (Y/n) told him, then pointed out, "four of the six of you in this room are all named Sans- and I bet that the other guy's name is _also_ Sans." 

Classic shot up, his shoulders tense and jaw gritted. 

(Y/n) instantly stood as well, a prickling of danger and unease moving along her spine. 

She looked into Classic's eye sockets and saw that his eyelights were fuzzy- how did that work? She'd seen Axe's eyelight do it before, but she had no idea how, and- … when had it started smelling like wet, snowy pine needles? 

The other skeletons tensed and the feeling in the room changed, almost palpablely. (Y/n) readied herself for what was coming- thinking she was going to have to put to the test if she could use a hold on a skeleton monster. 

Red started moving toward them, slowly, not wanting to set Classic off. “classic, everything’s fine,” he tried to placate him. 

“there isn’t anything strange going on here,” Classic told her again. 

“Classic- it’s not normal to have a group of eleven people, five, probably six, named Sans, five named Papyrus. Not normal,” she told him, a tone of entreaty in her voice. 

Classic felt his emotions rising. 

(Y/n) was a defiant little thing, wasn't she? 

A spike of lustful delight went through him. 

He licked his teeth, urges filling him, telling him to grab her, to hold her down and make her submit, accept that _he_ was the dominant one here… and then pull her away to his room- 

There was a rumbling in his chest, and he hadn't realized that he'd been growling… 

The growl seemed to set things in motion, everyone quickly moving. 

Red took hold of (Y/n)'s arm, pulling her around behind him, still keeping his hand on her. "c'm'ere, sweetheart," his gruff voice telling her as he did so. 

Blue leapt from the couch, setting himself between them and Classic, poised to fight with a look of challenge in his eyelights, calling, "STAY BACK, (Y/N)!" 

Mutt stood behind her, one arm wrapping around her waist and pulling her against him, and Axe moved closer, a growl leaving him to match Classic's. 

(Y/n) was half between thinking that they were all overreacting, and being slightly terrified that they thought the situation warranted such a response. 

Stretch rose from the couch sticking his vape back into one of his pockets, meandering the few steps to Classic. 

"finally got your heat startin' up, huh?" He asked. 

Classic blinked his sockets at him and shook himself. "i- i, uh…" He stuttered, looking embarrassed. 

"c'mon," Stretch said, putting a hand on his shoulder and guiding him towards the door. "walkin' will do ya good." 

It took a moment after they left, but the tension seemed to ease, the shoulders of the four skeletons left behind slumping down. 

A movement and the sound of rustling clothes as they all moved, and suddenly, Mutt's arms were both around her, his skull on top of her head, skeletal fingers from Red and Blue gripping her hand, stroking her cheek as they checked her out, murmured words of reassurance surrounding her. 

"Guys, guys!" (Y/n) said firmly, getting their attention. "Thank you, I'm fine- I appreciate it, but _I'm fine_." 

Red and Blue reluctantly stepped back, but Mutt didn't let go until she physically removed his arms. 

"Sooo…" (Y/n) said, awkwardly clearing her throat. "Um… Can we talk about the reason we came here? Or…" She trailed off as the three skeletons sat down, a bit gloomy looking. 

There was silence for a moment, no one wanting to break it, and she sat down as well. 

"ya ever hear of multiverse theory, sugar?" Mutt asked in the silence. 

"M-multiverse? Kinda, I… think?" (Y/n) answered, not sure what that had to do with anything. 

Red scoffed. "multiverse theory nothin'. 's more like multi-timeline." 

"Multi- _timeline…_?" (Y/n) asked, trying to sort that out. 

“the ‘universe’ is the stuff we can see, but there’s more that we can’t see- more universes. pretty damn descriptive,” Mutt told him. 

“but ya ain’t usin’ it right, ya dipshit; ‘s like th’ universe we live in, an’ then the universe th’ germs live in, ‘cause we can’t see that shit,” Red told him. 

“Uh… ‘k…” (Y/n) muttered, looking to Axe, who didn’t make any comment or move to join in the explanation. 

“DO YOU KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT COMICS?” Blue asked, ignoring the other two's poor attempt at explaining. 

“Y-yeah- well, a little,” she answered. 

Blue nodded, his shoulders hunching and skull turning down. “YOU KNOW HOW IN COMICS WHEN THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING ELSE WITH THE SAME CHARACTERS- LIKE REWRITE OR REBOOT, BUT THE STORY IS A BIT DIFFERENT,” he started to explain, “AND THEN YOU END UP WITH THINGS LIKE, ‘EARTH 325, WHERE EVERYONE IS A MONKEY’ OR ‘EARTH 529, WHERE THIS PERSON INSTEAD OF THIS PERSON GOT THE POWERS’.” 

“Yeah- yeah, I get that. Parallel realities,” (Y/n) agreed. 

“EXACTLY,” Blue nodded again, eyelights still glued to the floor. 

Axe looked back and forth between them. “yeah… parallel realities is a good way ta describe it…” 

“What does that have to do with anything?” (Y/n) asked. “Unless- wait. _Are_ you guys telling me that you somehow broke the space time continuum?” 

“nah, doll, we didn’t break anythin’, but… we got a machine that- mighta tweaked it…” Red told her. 

“Tweaked as in…?” 

“sugar, we’re from different universes-” 

“timelines-” 

“DIMENSIONS-” 

“realities-” 

They all tried to correct each other, but Blue’s voice was heard over the minor spat. 

“WE’RE ALL- We’re All The Same Person, More Or Less… Red And Axe And I- Even Mutt A Little… We’re All… Sans… Classic…” Blue told her. 

(Y/n) looked to Axe wondering how exactly he meant, but didn’t get an answer. 

“Like… like your personality split, and each piece got its own body?” 

"like we're all from the same place… in different realities… and…" Axe stopped, scratching near his eye socket. 

"...th'- th' underground's different fer each a us…" Red muttered. “in our… own timelines…” 

It was silent for another moment, then (Y/n) slowly said, "which is why- which is why I never heard of any famine in the Underground, and no one could help…" She spoke quietly and looked over at Axe. 

"mine and my bro’s reality… is closest to this one," he told her, his pauses showing he was having some trouble. "i was classic at one point… but then… instead of saving us…" 

"Frisk left," (Y/n) supplied, remembering how horrified she'd been at the idea when Bun had told her. 

He grumbled and nodded in agreement. 

(Y/n) looked around at the rest of them. “Wh- what… was it like where the rest of you came from…?” She asked hesitantly, not sure if she wanted to know. 

No one seemed to want to start, but then Red mumbled, his voice a bit rough, “ya ever… ya ever heard a ‘battle royal’…?” 

(Y/n) thought for a second, becoming more uneasy by the moment. “Like- like a mass team MMA fight…?” She asked quietly, thinking of the big brawls she’d seen and heard of. 

“‘cept it was every monster fer ‘emself…” 

(Y/n) felt her stomach and heart clench. She looked at the other two, trying to gage what they would say. 

Blue just stared at the tip of his boot like he was ashamed, and Mutt looked unaffected, like usual, though his expression was a bit more serious than amused. 

Mutt sank back into his seat a bit, flippantly saying, “pretty similar- pretty much a constant gang turf war policed by the royal guard.” 

He said it so carelessly… but… did he actually care…? Was he as callous to it as he seemed? Or, was he just used to it and it was the norm? 

“Blue…?” (Y/n) decided to ask instead of digging into anything else.

“IT WAS ACTUALLY VERY MUCH LIKE HERE,” Blue told her, not looking up, “EXCEPT- SOME THINGS WERE DIFFERENT…”

“Like what?” 

He paused for a moment, then asked, “DO YOU KNOW WHO ALPHYS AND UNDYNE ARE?” 

(Y/n) thought for a moment, remembering that Alphys was the scientist trying to further some earth science with heat to create more power, and Undyne was always with the Royal family when they had an appearance anywhere, in full guard gear. “I know of them.” 

“ALPHYS AND UNDYNE WERE STILL TOGETHER, BUT… ALPHYS WAS THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD, AND UNDYNE WAS THE ROYAL SCIENTIST…” 

“S-so…” (Y/n) was having trouble taking it all in. 

It was one thing to hear it like there were multiple versions of your favorite pretend superhero, but it was another entirely to see, in real life, different versions of the same person. 

It didn’t seem real… 

It didn’t seem possible… 

It felt like her brain was taking too much information in- like it was full and it couldn’t cram any more in. 

Her brain had reached capacity. 

“I- I’m… I need a bit…” 

Mutt and Axe didn’t seem to react, probably expecting that, but Blue and Red both looked a bit hurt. 

“I- ...I’m going to make us some lunch…” (Y/n) told them, starting toward the kitchen, but pausing and turning back. “Please… don’t leave. I just need a minute for it to soak in so I can process. I still want to talk about it.” 

As (Y/n) cooked, flipping grilled cheese sandwiches as tomato soup heated, she let everything sink in. 

So… there were multiple Sans… multiple Papyrus… 

Multiple… her? 

The thought seemed crazy. 

But… at the same time… 

She’d had deja vu before. What if the feeling was just that memory leaking through whatever separated the different hers? 

(Y/n) shook her head and switched sandwiches. 

She had always believed that the ocean was too big to know everything that was in it, and she had always thought that space was so vast that it was most probable that they weren’t alone in the universe… 

So… if there were multiple versions of everyone -Sans, Papyrus, her- then… was it really as far fetched as those other options? 

Maybe not… but maybe… 

At least she wasn’t filled with existential dread anymore. 

When lunch was finished, (Y/n) set it at the table and called the others in to eat. 

It was pretty silent, until (Y/n) asked, “so, um… how did you all get here?” 

Red answered that one. “well, doll- don’t really know. we got a machine that was supposed ta do somethin’ amazin’, and we ended up here.” 

“What do you mean 'something amazing'?” 

“was tryin’ ta use it to bring power back for my underground,” Axe said, not eating. 

(Y/n) studied him for a moment before figuring out why this food loving and hoarding skeleton wasn’t eating, and pulled out her phone sending a quick text with a quickly taken photo attached. 

“PAPPY MESSED AROUND WITH IT…” Blue gave, admitting that he didn’t know much about it. 

“it was… suppose ta get us outta th’ underground,” Red muttered. 

Mutt made an agreeable noise. 

(Y/n)’s phone pinged with Bun’s notification noise and she looked at it before showing the picture she got in response to Axe. 

Axe took her phone and studied the picture of his brother with a vegetable pasta dish in front of him, reading the text that had come with it; _“It Looks Delicious! This Is What I Settled On Making For Lunch.”_ Silently, he handed the phone back and started eating his lunch. 

“So, if that’s true across all realities- and I don’t know why it wouldn’t be… That machine was meant to get you out of the Underground- but it brought you here?” 

“‘s far ‘s we can tell,” Red told her, crunching into the other half of his sandwich. 

“So, you don’t really know…?” She asked. 

“darlin’, ya know the who, and the where, why are ya worried about the why?” Mutt asked. 

“Because- because I’m trying to make sense of this!” She exclaimed. “Seeing this kind of stuff in movies where you know it’s pretend is one thing- knowing that there are other versions of yourself out there somewhere- it’s crazy!” 

“There Is No You Where I’m From,” Blue murmured. 

(Y/n) blinked at him. “Wh-what? How do you know?” 

Blue shrugged at the table. “My Underground Was The Only Other One That Had Broken The Barrier Before We All Arrived Here…” 

They were all silent, though only she seemed to be waiting for him to continue. 

“I… Had Mostly The Same Job I Do Now, But… It Still Had Me Going Out In The Community, Meeting All The People… Ebott Was A Smaller Town… So I Met _All_ The People. Everyone. You Weren’t There.” 

That was… definitely something to take in. 

“I have one more question,” (Y/n) told them after a moment. “Who’s native reality is this?” 

“classic,” Axe told her. 

They changed the subject to more lighthearted fare, and it returned to the whole norm of Red and Mutt sending her pick up lines with wiggles of their browbones, Blue scolding them and telling them to learn to treat a lady properly, Axe, mostly quiet, but watching carefully. 

(Y/n) gathered the plates as everyone went on their way, saying goodbye. 

Red paused on his way out, standing a bit close to her, and (Y/n) was expecting more pick up lines. 

“jus’ so we’re clear, doll, ya can’t go tellin’ anyone ‘bout this.” 

(Y/n)’s brow dipped in confusion. “About…?” 

“the multi-timeline thing,” he told her, as though it should have been obvious- and maybe it should have been, but it had been a while since anyone had mentioned it. 

“Oh! No. No definitely not. Imagine that getting into the wrong hands…” She shook her head emphatically. 

Red gave her a half smirk and brushed a phalange joint under her chin. “knew ya were smart, sweetheart.” He paused, his eyelights seemingly stuck on her lips. 

His tongue, a red, magical thing, slipped between his sharp teeth, drawing her eyes to it as it swept over his gold tooth, and her bottom lip was aware of his phalange tip running along it. 

Blue made a noise that seemed to startle them both back to reality, and Red looked behind her to where the other skeleton was glaring at him. 

Red retracted his hand and gave a soft snort at Blue before looking back to (Y/n). “see ya later, sweetheart,” he told her before turning and using a shortcut to be on his way. 

“Can you do that, too?” (Y/n) asked as Blue stopped in front of her. 

“MAYBE- BUT I’VE NEVER TRIED, SO I’M NOT PRACTICED… IT’S A VERY LAZY MODE OF TRANSPORT,” he told her. 

She nodded, still looking at him, but he didn’t seem able to meet her gaze. 

“(Y/n)- ...(Y/n) I’m Sorry We Didn’t Tell You Before…” 

“It’s ok, Blue, I understand- there are people in this world that would use the technology for their own evil ends, a-” 

“No,” he stopped her. “My Reasons Were Purely Selfish…” 

“What do you mean?” She asked uncertainly. Selfish, while pretty untrue for someone who dedicated most of their outside life to helping people, did seem like a possibility for Blue, if for the right reasons. 

“I… I Just Wanted You To Like Me For Myself, Instead Of If You Liked The Other Versions Of Me…” Blue admitted. 

(Y/n) paused at that. 

He was afraid that she’d only like him because she liked the other hims? But the more she thought about it, none of them were exactly the same- even Axe and Classic, who Axe had told her were the same person, just with different outcomes, didn’t seem like the same person. 

“Blue… You’re the only you there is,” she told him with a smile. “Especially if the worlds were all as different as it sounds like.” 

Blue seemed to let out a relieved breath and finally looked up to her from the floor. “YOU SEE? THIS IS WHY I WANT TO KISS YOU… YOU’RE THE SWEETEST HUMAN I’VE EVER MET…” Blue’s hand went to her face, his thumb stroking down her cheek before his hand slid along her jaw. “THIS IS A MOMENT I’D LIKE TO KISS YOU IN,” he admitted leaning in a little, hand brushing against her neck as he pulled it back, “BUT… I THINK YOU’RE NOT QUITE READY…” He gave her a grin, and (Y/n) was forced again to realize that, given half a chance- this boy was smooth as hell. “I’LL SEE YOU AGAIN SOON, (Y/N). AS SOON AS YOU’LL LET ME.” 

And with that, he turned and left the lodge. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [this bad boy](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/635368601356992512/ok-so-this-is-the-inspiration-right-here) that I've been working of for a while!  
> [Black... being a cat.](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/635174813392060416/adding-to-my-pool-of-doodles)  
> [Black, Mutt, and reader cuddling.](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/635081552316006400/so-i-really-loved-valkyrieofsmuts-latest-chapter)  
> And also, this hot man [here](https://www.deviantart.com/blackcatmagicdesign/art/Underswap-Sans-Bone-Brigade-861565942?ga_submit_new=10%3A1605720067)!
> 
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	28. Heat(s)- again.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More than one heat has arrived- ...again...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for the comments, reads, kudos, they make my life when I see them!!! And it's really fun interacting with you all, especially when I do the answering as the skeles lol. 
> 
> It's been a while since we've had any sin, so I present you with a small token from them! I also need to say that any strange things spoken are completely due to heat brain, and do not necessarily reflect the skeleton's rational and normal feelings and point of view.  
> (More important info and stuff in the end notes.)

Sans felt a lot better in his own room, knowing that no one would bother him there, that he was safe. The only thing that he didn’t like was how much (Y/n) kept running through his mind. 

She was defiant, she didn't recognize that he was in charge, she challenged him- 

And it made his magic heat up. 

Which was why, the night after the botched meeting, when she messaged him telling him that she knew, and that she wasn't telling anyone, he felt… 

Maybe just a tiny bit disappointed, if he was completely honest with himself. 

He looked back down at their conversation, relieved that she'd finally answered. 

**_Her:_ ** _Don't worry, I'm not telling anyone, either. We have to keep people safe from themselves- who knows how unbalanced things could become if people all started trying to hop dimensions and realities, plus wars and stuff…_

 **_Me:_ ** _are you going to stay?_

 **_Her:_ ** _You mean to work? Yeah. I kinda like having money to survive life, and the work isn't so bad._

Sans typed a quick message telling her she could come pick up the papers to accept the job, and return them after she'd looked them over and signed, then laid back on his bed, going to his conversation with Red and seeing that he'd decided to come over and plan a strategy to find the new version of them. 

. 

(Y/n) pulled her shoes on before she headed out towards the next cabin, glad that she was finally going to be officially employed. 

She hummed a song stuck in her head as she walked, getting to the door and taking a breath. 

She just needed to put yesterday behind her and deal with this moment. It was a different day. Classic had surely calmed down from his fearfully aggressive, threatened response the day before. 

(Y/n) knocked on the door and heard a muffled voice calling to come in, so she opened the door and stepped into the room. 

Classic looked up, doing a double take, and seemed shocked to see her there. 

"Hi," she offered. 

"h-hey… what are ya doin'..." 

"I came to get the papers," she told him uncertainly, stepping further into the room. 

"don't-" He ordered, shifting a bit jerkily as he stood. 

"Don't what?" She asked, getting a bit nervous. 

"ya can't be in here- …the papers are outside," Classic told her, hurrying toward the door. 

As soon as he got within a few arm lengths, though, he stopped. 

Absently, (Y/n) recognized heavy footsteps on the porch coming to the still cracked open door, and Red's voice as he asked, "why th' hell did ya leave this open…?" 

More light fell into the room from the door, and she saw that Classic's eyelights had gotten a bit fuzzy. 

A small growl rumbled in his ribcage, his voice coming out a bit deeper as he commented, "ya smell- really damn good…" 

(Y/n) took a step back nervously, not sure what to do and not wanting to wait for the physical hint his movements would give, but it only prompted Classic to step towards her. 

"delicious," he growled. 

An arm grabbed (Y/n), and for the second time in as many days, she was pushed behind Red. 

Even though he was at least an inch shorter than her, when he puffed up, she couldn't see past him. 

He was also letting out a low, rattling growl, blocking Classic's view of her. 

"back the fuck off, classic. ya ain't in yer right mind. she ain't ready for any a what y're thinkin'!" 

"her scent says different," Classic argued in a growl. 

Red's arm swiped at her a bit, ushering her back as he postured himself larger. "fuckin' _back off!"_ He growled. "or imma throw ya an' see how big a hole I can make!" 

(Y/n) was outside, now making her way backwards across the porch, but not wanting to leave before she knew Red was safe- he was risking himself for her, after all. 

Red finally got to the doorway, slapping his hand on something that he seemed to know was there by touch, and slammed the door in front of him before turning to her. 

"ya ok, sweetheart?" He asked, looking over her, stepping close. His eyelights fluttered, and he stepped closer, pulling her to him and burying his nasal ridge in the crook of her neck. 

A rumbling lifted from him, and his voice came out in a deep, husky growl. "fuck… nnnggg… he's right… ya smell fuckin' amazin'..." 

(Y/n)'s eyes widened as she remembered when the smell of her ovulation had sent a few of the skeletons into a possessive heat mood, wanting to take her home- and not all of them above doing it by force. 

Shit… 

Had it been that long already? Was she already back around to that part of her cycle again? 

Red pulled back and held her at an arm length, his tongue slipping out to lick over his teeth. 

(Y/n) glanced down, trying to gather her mind, but her eyes shot back up at seeing that the loose shorts he usually wore had an obvious tent. 

"fuck," he groaned to himself. "'k. sweetheart, ya gotta go back ta th' lodge. lock th' door an' any windows. don't let anyone in but creampuff, bun, 'r-" He growled for a moment, obviously having trouble pushing the next name out. "axe." 

"Ok," she agreed. She definitely planned on all of those things, though she didn't know why Cream would be safe to come in. 

" _nnn-_ lemme smell ya 'gain," Red muttered as he pulled her back to him and nuzzled into her neck. "fuck- ya smell s' fuckin' good…" He growled, his sharp teeth nipping at her collarbone before he ripped himself away from her, obviously having a difficult battle with himself to stay back. "a'right- go, go on- an' lock th' fuckin' door!" 

(Y/n) turned and hurried, getting to the lodge and closing the door, locking it even as her finger was swiping across her phone, making a message to Bun. 

. 

Sans knew what he'd be doing right now if Red hadn't come and taken (Y/n) out of the cabin and hit the magical barrier. 

By now, he'd be pelvis deep in soaking wet bliss. 

Sans fisted his cock, pumping vigorously, laid back, sprawled across his bed as he imagined her riding him. 

Stars- her hot little pussy would feel so good around him, so tight and needy, fluttering and pulling at him as his hands tightened on her hips and slammed her down onto him harder and harder… 

This position was good, but he wasn't getting enough power. 

Sans rolled, one forearm bracing him as he spread his femurs, tightening his carpals around himself as he jerked his cock hard and fast, growling to the mattress. 

"gah- shit-! i'm gonna pound your pussy until ya _beg_ me for mercy," he growled. "uungh- you're gonna be a _good little girl_ and recognize that _i'm_ in charge!" 

Sans' free hand twisted in the sheets, digging holes in the fabric as he imagined (Y/n) under him. 

"look at ya- so sweet and ready- bet ya can't wait for my knot, huh?" He growled, getting lost in his heat fantasy. "bet ya were just pushin' back because ya _wanted_ me to push ya down and fuck ya until ya couldn't breathe… hnngh! stars- ya better take- all of my cum," he demanded of his imaginary her, "take it- and keep it in ya- sh-shit!” 

Sans could feel that his end was getting near, and wrapped his hand around where his knot was starting to inflate and gave a squeeze before moving to stroke again. 

"g-gonna k-keep it- all in ya- hah- _hahhh-_ " Sans was toeing the edge, feeling his mind slipping away from him, leaving him to mindlessly jerk his cock. "g-gonna breed ya- 't-til you're 'b-bout to pop-! uungh-! sh-shit, shit shi- _aaaaaaahhnnnnngh_!"

Sans' hand squeezed his knot as he came, tightening and loosening with a small stroke as blue magic spilled in a puddle on his bedsheets. 

He fell to his side, thinking of how nice it would be to feel with (Y/n)'s legs wrapped around his pelvis while he nuzzled his skull into her soft tits as they relaxed until the next round, and slowly started to drift between sleep and consciousness. 

. 

Red stood at the edge of his bed, one hand on it, clenching a fistful of sheets, bracing him as he leaned over it. 

_"nnnnnnrrggghh…_ fuck, sweetheart… stars, ya feel so good," he groaned, slowly stroking himself as he imagined having (Y/n) bent over the mattress under him. 

He could see it now; her top half laying on the bed, hands gripping the sheets with her ass in the air, his hands moving over her, sliding along her back, around her sides, copping a feel as he pushed them between her soft tits and the mattress, giving a grope and heading back along her hot body, teasing her sensitive skin as he made his way to her hips, wrapping his hands around them and squeezing, stretching his phalanges to get double handfuls of her ass and massaging it for a moment, trailing down to her thighs and gripping them to keep her steady- the whole time thrusting into her, feeling her hot, tight, soaking wet pussy around him. 

She'd be so soft… 

Her delicate skin so perfect and beautiful, begging to carry his mark until he leaned down, nipping and licking at the skin her shoulder blades shifted under, listening to her whimpers and moans as he pumped into her, one hand slipping around to find that button that would make her scream, stroking and flicking it. 

"that's it, doll- ungh- take my cock," he growled, speeding his hand up, getting faster and rougher with every stroke as he drifted forward until he was almost laying on the bed himself. "fuck- ya'd take me so good, wouldn't ya?" He groaned, eyelights rolling back and sockets closing, his hand tightening and squeezing. "yeah- _uu-uunngh-_ come fer me, dollface," he growled, closing his sharp teeth around the puffy fabric of his coat, imagining that it was (Y/n)'s soft skin they were sinking into instead as he came with a muffled bellow, pelvis jerking as he stroked himself through his orgasm, shot after shot of hot red magic leaving him, growls and groans of ecstasy muffled by his mouthful of coat. 

Red nuzzled the sleeve of his coat and sighed contentedly as he let his phalanges keep softly stroking over his softening cock. "nnnnnnggggghhh… yeah… ya'd take me s'good… take everythin' i gave ya…" A rumbling started in his chest, growing into a soft purr as he tugged his shorts up and rolled onto his bed, cuddling around an extra soft blanket. "nnnn, ya'd be such a good girl fer me, wouldn't ya, (y/n)," he hummed into the soft fuzziness, purring in content. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one's not a big chapter, but, more of a normal size, and big enough, I hope...  
> I tried to get something done to go out with this chapter, but I don't think I'm going to make it today. So~ if you want to hang around my tumblr, sometime this weekend I should have a rather spicy answer to an ask! The anon who asked it knows what it is- and let's just say... that I felt you were asking for a certain something, and I hope I have delivered~! *innocent fox face*
> 
> Ok, so! I know that at least some of y'all have played the Bonely hearts game- how do I know? I saw y'all commenting on the stream Improv did of playing it! So, incase you don't have a tumblr, I drew a [picture](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/635698063712845824/black-i-draw-so-slowly-but-its-done-i), and Improv [voiced something based on it](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/635868903867875328/improvidence318-nitritre-improvidence318-based)!
> 
> Also, Brownibal commented a [playlist](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/635995183901720577/brownibals-skelekinks-playlist) on the Skelekinks, and it inspired me to make [my own](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/635995195198111744/skele-kink-playlist), too!
> 
> Hey! I have some things going right now on my tumblr page, like a sing through December thing...? Damn... that's better than the name I thought of it as on there... anyway, [info](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/635976494852784128/wanna-hear-me), and if you want to [submit a suggestion](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/ask) for a song. 
> 
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	29. The meeting to Sort All This Shit Out!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Progress in convincing Bun to go to town for help? Meeting to try to understand just what the hell is going on? Explanations and character development? Trying to get it all out there without making it a big exposition dump? Yep! All of those in this chapter!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I hope you're all doing well!  
> Thank you so much for all the hits, kudos, and especially comments! Sorry, there are a few of you that I haven't been able to answer, yet, it has been a crazy few days, and I haven't had time to think of good responses, yet... I have, however, written you so much! 5610 words in this chapter alone, and also a chapter of Captive love!  
> Heh heh, enjoy, and go ahead, tell me what you think... I'm expecting some interesting thoughts/ reactions about some of the stuff in here... Also, bonus points if you recognize the quote and where it comes from lol.

(Y/n) couldn't have been more happy when Bun had hurried to the lodge, though it had taken a few messages to get him to come. 

He had been afraid that she was mad at him, that she hated him for lying to her. He was so torn up about it that all he could do is stare at their open conversation, trying not to cry. 

Sans had told him that she wasn't angry, that she understood, and had taken it really well, even that she'd already known when they'd texted about lunch- but she hadn't messaged him after that. 

Sans had tried to tell him that she needed more time to really handle and deal with the new information, but it still festered in a pit in his soul, making him feel like he was already refused. 

The next morning when she messaged him asking him to come up, he feared that she was going to tell him, directly to his face- not only that she hated him for lying to her, but also for how useless he'd been in protecting her from the strange, dust covered skeleton. 

He hated that Cream had been able to help, had known what to do and done it so effortlessly, while he had more experience with handling an injured human body and had no idea- because he couldn't see well enough to tell what he needed to do, and felt guilty for the bit of resentment he felt that Cream was literally himself, as though he couldn't even match up to himself. 

So when (Y/n) had sent that text, he'd opened it, wanting to feel close to her, but had left her on read, afraid to answer.

Then the next had come in ten minutes later.

And the next ten minutes after. 

The third was twenty minutes after that.

It was on the fourth, an hour and twelve minutes after the first, that he'd finally read them, disappointment in himself filling him. 

**_Farfalla:_ ** _Bun, will you come up to the lodge and hang out with me?_

 **_Farfalla:_ ** _Please?_

 **_Farfalla:_ ** _Bun, please don't leave me on read!_

 **_Farfalla:_ ** _Bun I'm scared. Please don't ignore me. Classic is in heat, and Red got all sniffy and told me to hide in the lodge._

 **_Farfalla:_ ** _Please don't abandon our friendship I'm sorry for whatever I did to upset you_

She was afraid, trapped in the lodge and unable to leave for fear of triggering the other skeletons to attack. 

His friend. 

His very close friend. 

That he'd left there for an hour already. 

He'd torn out of the cabin so fast that Sans had followed, spooked that something like the strange skeleton coming back had happened. 

When he got to the lodge, he'd pounded on the door for her, Sans standing awkwardly behind him, not knowing the whole story, but knowing that something serious had happened. 

(Y/n) stood from where she'd been sitting against the door, unlocking and opening it just in time for him to scoop her against him, holding her tightly to his ribs as he continued forward a few steps with his momentum. 

"You Didn't Do Anything, I'm Sorry- Please Don't Cry," he told her, knowing that she was, if not from the words in her message, then from the salty smell of her face. 

Sans stepped in, looking at them in confusion before catching her scent and shutting the door so it didn't waft out and entice the others. 

"what happened?" 

. 

The week had flown past, the two spending a lot of time together with Sans and Cream occasionally stopping by, though he apologized that he stopped coming after a couple of times, since Classic could apparently smell her on him and had started acting 'weird', or so he phrased it. 

Sans also stopped coming by after the second or third day, saying that he was making rounds and checking that the others stayed away, but… Something about the way his skull seemed to have a slightly heated glow to it, and the sweat starting to bead when he'd left that last time, she wasn't quite sure she believed that was the one hundred percent truth. 

Glad that the week of basically house arrest was ending, and that there was going to be a meeting to try to figure out a way to handle the whole situation better, (Y/n) cuddled up on the couch with Bun, having made sure to douse the house in scent killer and shower very well so that none of her come hither scent clung to her. 

She put on _Dances with Wolves_ after searching through old movies he might like. 

They enjoyed it for a bit, but then, when it got to the sex scene, a choke of shock filled her throat. 

"Oh my god I forgot that was in here-!" She apologized, her hands going over her mouth. 

Bun looked at her in confusion. 

"Why Are You So Embarrassed About Sex, (Y/n)? You Had A Whole Conversation About Mating And Everything With Sans- Two, Actually," he pondered, looking at the screen and back at her. 

"I- uh… it's kind of a taboo subject…?" She answered uncertainly. 

Bun tilted his head, curiously. "But, People Know It Happens, It Exists- Obviously; The Human Race Hasn't Died Out, Yet… So Why Should It Be Taboo?" 

(Y/n) took a breath and thought over it. "It's something that… is private, like, the way they decided that certain parts of the body are 'dirty,' 'inappropriate,' or 'shameful,'" she answered. 

"That's Just Silly- Well… The Reason Is Silly." 

"Monster society doesn't have certain body parts they cover for any reason?" 

Bun tilted his head again, bringing his hand up to run over his jaw. 

"Since Your Soul Is The Entire Culmination Of Your Being, It's More Private Than Any Part Of Your Body, So It Is Covered- But Definitely Not Because Of Any Thoughts That It's Dirty Or Inappropriate. It's Just Very Intimate." 

"So… you could walk around naked, di-" she paused as she suddenly wondered if the skeletons had dicks- but Sans had specifically said she would have been fucked senseless; they _had_ to have something to do so… and she _definitely_ remembered seeing a tent in Red's shorts to support that theory, so… 

She shook her head to rid herself of the thought. "Uh, genitals in the open, and no one would say anything as long as your souls are covered?" 

"No One Would Do That- It's Not That It's Wrong, Just That They Have Modesty. And, Clothes Look Cool," he gave the start of a smile, but then let it fall, moving to hide his teeth. 

"You know, Bun… When my wisdom teeth started coming in, it really hurt, like, my whole face," she shifted closer, lifting her hand to gesture around her whole face, then let it drift to him. "So I know what it feels like for your jaws to ache. The headaches. Not eating certain things that may be your favorites because your jaw has to move around your teeth…" 

Her hand touched his jaw softly, giving plenty of warning of where it was going so he had enough time to stop her if he wanted to. 

"I just want to help you, Papyrus," she told him as she laid her head on his shoulder. 

Bun hesitated, but wrapped his arms around her, too, nuzzling her shoulder carefully so he didn't catch his teeth on her clothes. 

They pulled apart as the door opened, surprised by the loud sound of it hitting the wall and rebounding. 

A very distraught Blue hurried to the couch, upset and hurt practically glowing on his skull. "WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?!" 

(Y/n) blinked and glanced at Bun. "Uh… Tell you what?" 

"THAT HUMANS CAN'T EAT GLITTER!" 

"Oh- well, uh-"

"I'M SORRY!" 

"It's ok, Blue-"

"IT'S NOT!" He dropped to one knee, taking her hand in both of his and pressing his skull to it. "I COULDN'T FIND IT, SO I ASKED THE CLERK WHERE THEY KEPT IT, AND WHEN SHE SHOWED ME TO THE CRAFT AISLE, SHE ASKED WHAT MY PROJECT WAS- WHEN I TOLD HER TACO CASSEROLE, SHE LAUGHED AT ME! SHE THOUGHT I WAS A STUPID SCHOOL KID WHO DIDN'T KNOW ANY BETTER AND TOLD ME THAT HUMANS CAN'T EAT GLITTER! THAT IT CAN _HURT_ THEM! I FELT SO IGNORANT AND DUMB! AFTER I MADE NACHOS FOR YOU- AND YOU _ATE_ THEM! WHY DIDN'T YOU JUST TELL ME YOU COULDN'T EAT GLITTER?" 

"You Ate Something That Could Hurt You On Purpose? Why Would You Do That?" 

(Y/n) awkwardly met Bun's questioning look, then looked back to Blue on the floor in front of her, looking like he was apologizing for accidentally running over her pet. 

"I- l-listen-! I just- I didn't want to hurt your feelings, Blue! You worked really hard on that dinner, and I already felt bad for falling asleep-" 

Blue looked up at her, his bright blue, she'd almost say watery, eyelights meeting her gaze. "PLEASE, DON'T EVER DO SOMETHING DANGEROUS LIKE THAT TO SPARE MY FEELINGS AGAIN, (Y/N)! IF I MAKE SOMETHING THAT YOU CAN'T EAT, JUST TELL ME! I WANT YOU TO BE ABLE TO TELL ME ANYTHING, (Y/N)..." 

Classic entered through the door and quickly looked away from them when he saw (Y/n) there, blue spreading over his skull. 

Stretch followed Classic through the kitchen, and the door soon let in Black and Mutt. 

Mutt immediately went in front of the couch, looking over Blue, and chuckled. "oh, s'that what we're doin'?" He dropped to his knees and put one hand on either of hers, pushing them apart. 

"MUTT!" Black snapped, smacking the back of his brother's skull with a long glove that he then began to pull back on. 

Mutt chuckled again as he ducked down to nuzzle against the inside of (Y/n)'s knee instead. 

"Mutt," she scolded, giving an aggravated huff as he brought the hand trying to push him away to cuddle with, too, grinning cheekily. 

Black grabbed Mutt's collar and tugged him away, growling, "AWAY WITH YOU, IDIOTIC MUTT!" He turned back to (Y/n) and took the hand Mutt had had, the one Blue wasn't holding, and lifted it to his teeth, nuzzling. "APOLOGIES, PET." 

A low, aggressive sound rumbled through the air, and (Y/n)'s gaze, followed the others', turned to Blue. 

He was glaring at Black and growling… 

Mutt's sockets sank into a glare as his deeper growl vibrated around them. 

Blue's growl got a bit softer, but didn't stop. 

"MUTT, STOP YOUR STUPIDITY THIS INSTANT," Black demanded, slipping his glove off again and smacking at him. "GET YOUR COCCYX OFF OF THE FLOOR AND GET TO THE MEETING!" Black continued ushering him with smacks of his glove as they disappeared. 

(Y/n) looked at Blue, who'd at least stopped growling. "What the hell was that, Blue?" 

Blue looked a little guilty and turned his skull away. "I- THINK WE SHOULD WAIT UNTIL AFTER THE MEETING TO TALK ABOUT IT… SO WE CAN FOCUS…" 

"But we _will_ talk about it?" 

He nodded. 

"Today?" 

He nodded again, standing and straightening himself out. 

“Oh, Yes, It’s Time For The Meeting…” Bun commented, standing. 

“Are you staying for it?” 

“N-No. Sa- We Don’t Have Anything To Add, The Others All Know Our Situation, And Everything Else Is The Same As Here- As Classic…”

“O-ok… I’ll see you later, then?” She asked. 

Bun nodded and left, and (Y/n) turned off the TV before she and Blue made their way to the kitchen. 

(Y/n)’s eyes moved over the table, noting that the only ones missing were Creampuff, Edge and Red, and Axe and Bun. That shortly changed, though, as Red’s motorcycle could be heard as he pulled up to the front and he made his way inside. 

Once they all sat down Classic coughed, looking away from the table, still not able to look at (Y/n), and she noticed that, not only Red, but also Blue, who were both across from her, and both Black, who was next to her, and Mutt, on his other side were between them. 

Seems like the info got out about what had happened. 

“ok, so we need to figure out, uh,” Classic took a breath and a swig of ketchup before continuing, “what’s up with the way our heat cycles are getting messed up; red’s started early, mine was about two weeks late, and both times, any time one of us was around (y/n), we were effectively sent into a mild heat…” 

(Y/n) nodded quietly, waiting for more pieces of the puzzle to have any idea of what was happening other than ‘weird stuff is weird’. 

“an’ whatever the hell’s up wit the weird tuggin’,” Red muttered. 

Blue and Stretch gave him a strange look, but his comment seemed to be brushed over. 

“YOU WERE ALL SENT INTO HEAT JUST BY BEING AROUND MY PET?” Black asked in surprise. 

Blue growled again, starting Mutt up, and there was some irritated murmuring telling Black to shut up. 

Black ignored them, though, turning to her instead. “WHAT HAPPENED, PET?” 

“Black, I am literally refusing to answer you any time you call me ‘pet’ from here on out.” 

“aw, give ‘em a break, darlin’,” Mutt murmured as he tried to scoot closer to her. 

Black looked a little flustered, an irritated but uneasy noise in his chest. “WHAT HAPPENED-” his jaw was so tense it didn’t look like it was even opening for him to speak, “DEEAAR-” 

Wow… it probably would have been impossible to make him look more uncomfortable saying that, even without the sneer his skull twisted into as the word came out. 

“I was- uh-” 

Remember, she reminded herself, completely scientific and clinical. Problem solving… 

“I was at a point in my cycle where I was the most fertile…” 

Mutt and Black had twin stunned expressions of perverted curiosity. 

Damn it. 

Mutt opened his jaw, but Black smacked him in the back of his skull, not even looking at him, before he could speak, and he just muttered out, “heat,” and closed it. 

“BOTH TIMES?” Blue asked, and she nodded. 

“sounds pretty obvious, then,” Stretch commented and Blue nodded. 

“th’ fuck’s obvious ‘bout it? i ain’t ever gone inta heat before just ‘cause someone else did,” Red argued. 

“BUT, THE CONNECTION,” Blue commented with a gesture of his hand, as though he were pointing out something that should have been obvious. 

He and Stretch looked around at the rest of them, taking in their confused expressions. 

“(Y/N) I CAN UNDERSTAND; AS A HUMAN SHE’S NOT AS IN TOUCH WITH HER SOUL, BUT THE REST OF YOU- I DON’T-” Blue shook his skull, obviously not understanding how they didn’t know what he was talking about. 

“what connection are ya talkin' about, blue?” Classic asked. 

“I- DON’T YOU ALL FEEL IT, TOO?” 

The others looked at him in question, waiting for him to continue, Red starting to tap the tips of his phalanges on the table. 

“THE PULL- THE TUGGING THAT-” He looked at Stretch in confusion, as though begging for help explaining a simple thing even easier, but his brother shrugged in encouragement for him to continue. “THE TUGGING ON YOUR SOUL- THAT CONNECTS IT TO (Y/N)...” 

There was a mumbling around the table as they all muttered about that, but it was (Y/n)’s turn to be shocked and surprised. 

“Wh-what?” She asked breathlessly. 

“what was goin’ on with you when classic was bein’ late for his heat,” Stretch asked her. 

“I… when was that?” She asked herself, then quickly worked out the days and (Y/n) admitted, “bleeding- uh- I was at the least fertile point… and building back up to the most, I guess…” 

Stretch nodded. “yep. that’d be due to syncing up.” 

“Sync- you mean like- when they joke about women hanging out together so much their cycles sync?” 

Stretch lifted a browbone. “like mates souls syncing their heats for a better chance of conception. your body wasn't ready, classic's soul held off on his heat, your body was ready, it started up. no point in wasting a heat if there's less chance of conceiving when it only happens once or twice a year.” 

The skeletons all had a bit of a different reaction, but they were all along the scale of slightly embarrassed or more attentive, or both. 

(Y/n), though, choked out, “M-mates?! I- I never,” she gave a half panicked, anxious chuckle, “no way- I don’t- I’m not-” 

They all looked at her in surprise at her instant denial. 

“(Y/n),” Blue reached out to her, putting his hands on hers and trying to calm her. “It’s Not Something That Anyone Is Going To Force On You.” 

“But- but what the hell does that mean…?!” 

“DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN I WAS EXPLAINING THAT MY SOUL LIKES YOURS…?” 

She gave a small nod, and everyone else, other than Stretch, was watching intently to hear the explanation as well.

“THAT’S THE CONNECTION, IT’S WHY OUR SOULS TUG AT EACH OTHER…”

(Y/n) gave a small shake of her head to show that she wasn’t quite sure what he meant. 

“that’s the soul calling to its mate,” Stretch supplied. 

“I- I- hu…” (Y/n) sputtered, taking a few breaths as she looked around at the others, who all looked like this was the first time they were hearing anything like this. “L-like soulmates- you’re talking about soulmates?” 

Stretch scoffed. “soul _compatibility._ could ya imagine if there were only one person for anyone in the universe? and what if ya _were_ soulmates with one of us- we all lived underground, and you lived up here- pretty ridiculous to expect to ever meet one another.” 

Blue was glaring at his brother, giving a soft growl his direction. 

“Ok, so- what does the ‘compatibility’ part mean, then?” 

“IT IS A BIT LIKE SOULMATES, ON A GRANDER SCALE,” Blue cut in before Stretch could say something else to get himself growled at. “BUT INSTEAD OF ONLY ONE PERSON FOR ANY OTHER PERSON, THERE ARE PEOPLE WITH COMPATIBLE SOULS, WHO ARE DRAWN TOGETHER, AND OUT OF THAT SMALLER POOL OF PEOPLE, YOU FIND SOMEONE YOU WANT TO BE YOUR MATE- AND STAY WITH THEM FOREVER…” 

It was silent for a moment as everyone seemed to take that information in, Classic seeming a bit confused. 

“O-ok… I have a question, then…” 

“ANYTHING, (Y/N),” Blue assured. 

“How can you all _possibly_ be compatible with me- that’s way too many people in one area- the odds would be astronomical…!” 

Mutt gave a soft coughing noise and then a chuckle. “ya remember what we were talkin ‘bout the other day, darlin’?” She looked at him, and he continued, “we’re all pretty much the same people. so ‘course we’d all be compatible ta ya.” 

(Y/n) was silent for a moment. 

That's right; Blue, Red, Black and Classic, even Axe, were all 'Sans', and Blue had said that even Mutt was the same person a little bit… 

If they were all different versions of the same two people, it did make sense how they could all be compatible; two were far more likely than seven, or ten, or however many… 

But… 

If they were all versions of the same two people- why didn't they all know this stuff? Why only Blue and Stretch? 

She bit her lip and turned, gesturing around at all the others. “How didn’t any of _you_ know about this?” 

No one seemed to know how to answer that, so Classic spoke up, "uh- ahem- well… guess we don't usually have use for it." 

"what d'ya mean; ya don't have use for it?" Stretch asked. 

"ya said that it's how ya find a mate, and ya stay with 'em forever?" Classic asked, and Stretch nodded. "that's why- with such a limited population in the underground, we were more worried about genetic diversity than mating for life; monsters aren't normally monogamous here- sometimes, but not usually. 's why _i_ didn't know, anyway." 

Blue and Stretch looked slightly disturbed, as though seeing Classic, their new home, and possibly the others in a new light, one that may not be so pretty. 

It was silent again, and Red seemed to be trying to chew on his golden fang for a moment before he spoke, not looking up from the table, "wasn't safe ta have relationships like that where me an' boss are from… if ya had any attachments, they could be used 'gainst ya… so monsters weren't usually shackin' up longer than a heat… could really only stay wit someone if ya could trust 'em completely that they wouldn't kill ya while ya were sleepin'... or that ya'd be able ta keep each other safe an' they'd have yer back…" 

Mutt leaned over his brother, reaching for (Y/n). "i'll let ya come try non monogamy with me, sugar." 

Black seemed to snap, shoving Mutt away from him _hard_ and yelling, "QUIT SHOWING OFF, YOU MORON, OR I'LL LEASH YOU AND TIE YOU TO THE GODDAMN DOOR!" 

"yes, m'lord," Mutt hummed, sounding like a chuckle with his usual smirk, while keeping his suggestive eyelights on (Y/n). 

Something about that exchange caught (Y/n)'s attention, though. "Showing off?" She asked Black. 

He hesitated, gritting his jaw a little. "YES…" 

"How is he 'showing off' by being a pervert?" 

Black sighed, glaring at his brother. 

"MUCH LIKE RED, OUR WORLD WASN'T ONE WHERE IT WAS SAFE TO MAKE ATTACHMENTS. YOU COULD NEVER TRULY TRUST ANYONE FOR FEAR THAT THEY'D STAB YOU IN THE BACK EVENTUALLY, SO ANYONE THAT YOU SPENT A LOT OF TIME WITH USUALLY FELL INTO ONE OF TWO CATEGORIES; KEEPING YOUR ENEMIES CLOSE, OR FAMILY… IT WAS ALSO… ESPECIALLY USEFUL FOR GETTING INFORMATION OR BLACKMAILING WHEN SOMEONE HAD SOMEONE OR SOMETHING THAT THEY LOVED, OR EVEN JUST CARED FOR." 

(Y/n) felt horror fill her at the thought of taking someone's loved ones and doing god knows what to get whatever it was they wanted. 

"SO IT WAS EXTREMELY _STUPID_ ," he glared at Mutt, "TO GO AROUND SHOWING AFFECTION TO PEOPLE. ALL RELATIONSHIPS WERE COVERT, IF AT ALL. AND IF YOU _DID_ SHOW ANYONE AFFECTION THAT PUT _THEM_ IN DANGER. SO YOU HAD TO BE _EXTREMELY CERTAIN_ THAT YOU COULD PROTECT YOURSELF _AND_ THE ONES YOU WANTED TO SHOW AFFECTION TO." 

"So… he's… basically… bragging…?" She questioned while the others stared at them in confusion. 

"INDEED," Black agreed with a glare at his brother. 

"Wow…" She muttered to herself. 

To imagine! 

This whole time, she'd been thinking that he was just being a pervert- but he'd actually been pulling power plays! Showing off how strong and powerful he was! 

She realized that the others had started talking again and tuned back in. 

Blue stared at the others in disbelieving shock. 

They didn't have monogamy…? They just… just… 

Didn't settle down…? 

Didn’t stay with their loved one their entire life…?

He'd thought he was in competition with everyone! Fighting to keep the others away long enough to try to gain (Y/n)'s affection! 

Apparently he'd been barking at nothing... yelling out at a room full of people for no reason… they weren't going to take her and keep her for their own for forever and ever… 

"SO… NONE OF YOUR UNDERGROUNDS DID BONDINGS?" 

Red shrugged. "we did markin', uh, but…" He scratched at his skull. "they weren't always… heh… sometimes they'd do a mark jus' ta make it s' no one else'd be able ta spend a heat wit ya… vengeful bastards… but, uh, no- real bondings were rare." 

"ONLY IF YOU WANTED TO PUT A TARGET ON YOUR MATE'S BACK," Black put in. "OR WANTED TO HAVE SOMEONE TRY TO STEAL THEM FROM YOU BEFORE YOU COULD GET TO THEM." 

Classic shrugged laxly. "the king and queen were -or are, maybe- bonded, and alphys and undyne were talkin' about it last i heard. pretty much the only ones, though." 

Blue turned to (Y/n), asking, "HUMANS- HUMANS ARE MONOGAMOUS…?" 

"Huh? Oh- yeah- or… Mostly, I guess?” She answered coming back to the conversation. “It's considered the norm, anyway, but there are other options." 

"OTHER- LIKE WHAT?" Blue asked. 

"like just dating, with or without being exclusive," Classic supplied. 

"bein' friends wit benefits," Red added. 

"polyamory," Mutt put in. 

"Some people just aren't into relationships, too," (Y/n) told him. 

Blue hated that his question was going to make him seem like a child, but, he felt like this was important to understand. 

"WHAAAAT'S POLYAMORY?" 

"More than two people in a couple- or, uh, relationship, I guess, since 'couple' is usually inherently two…" 

"SO… LIKE THREE PEOPLE…?" 

That wasn’t… _extremely_ strange… 

It was rare, but not unheard of, in his Underground, to be a trio. As rare as being monogamous in this universe's Underground, apparently...

"Or more," (Y/n) shrugged. "Depends on the people, what they're comfortable with. Lots of variables, probably." 

"'nough a that! ya gonna tell us why ya knew what was goin' on th' whole fuckin' time an' didn't tell us? or are ya ask 'bout how sex works, too, like some kid?" Red demanded, obviously irritated. 

"I KNOW HOW SEX WORKS!" Blue declared a bit angrily. "AND HOW WAS _I_ SUPPOSED TO KNOW YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT SOUL COMPATIBILITY?! _BABYBONES_ KNOW ABOUT THAT!" 

Red growled, gritting his sharp teeth at Blue. 

"Hey!" (Y/n) sharply cut in, and they looked at her. "You are from very different places, and no one knows everything until they learn it." 

The two grumbled, while the others just seemed to be watching and taking in the information new to them. 

“so… the weird feeling is the soul compatibility, and… the weird stuff with our cycles is… her cycle…” Classic muttered. 

Stretch rubbed his hand over his face, muttering, “ah hell… i don’t wanna have to deal with nonsense or avoidin’ everything every month…” He turned to Classic, “the entrance to the lab is in here, man- it would be blocked for a whole week every month…” 

“Oh, and you think that I’m _so in love_ with the feeling of my body tearing my insides out and feeling like it’s trying to _kill_ me for what feels like a year every month?” (Y/n) asked snidely. 

Stretch just shrugged lazily. “your body, your chemistry, your thing to live with.” 

Classic looked up suddenly. “mutt, ya think ya could make something for this?” 

“For what?” (Y/n) asked, not sure she was liking where the conversation was heading, since it sounded like it was in a very _‘fix her’_ kind of direction. 

“what did ya have in mind?” Mutt asked. 

“For _what?”_ She asked again. 

“for… a kind a… contraception’s what y’re thinkin’, right?” Red asked. 

_“Excuse me?!”_ (Y/n) demanded, making them all look at her. “What the _fuck_ makes you think that you have the right to decide _any_ of that for me?!” 

The group all looked at her in shock. Other than the time she’d yelled at Black for insulting Bun, they’d never seen her so angry. 

“nah, nah, sweetheart,” Red tried to calm her, “contraception’s different underground.” 

“How so?” She ground out through clenched teeth. 

“well, first a all, monsters can’t have kids ‘less there’s clear intent from both sides,” he paused, taking in the change in her expression to make sure she was following, “so we don’t really gotta worry ‘bout that,” he had the audacity to wink at her with a cheeky smirk, “th’ contraception’s really more ta block the scent signals tellin’ others ya wanna smoosh souls.” 

“Smoosh… souls…?” (Y/n) lifted a brow. 

“fuck,” Red clarified, still smirking. “was dangerous ta be alone an’ in heat- not thinkin’ ‘bout protectin’ yerself, more ‘bout findin’ someone ta fuck, an’ addin’ ta th’ species. so ya hid it.” 

“a repressor,” Mutt commented, thinking out loud. “haven’t made one of them in a while… i can mess around with it at work.” 

“Won’t your boss get mad at you…?” (Y/n) asked. 

“naw. he’s a hardass sometimes, but, he’s pretty lazy, too,” Mutt told her, looking like he was trying not to laugh at some inside joke. 

“What… what do you do to make a ‘repressor’?” 

“eh, basic chemistry,” Mutt shrugged. 

“And… you know how to do it?” 

Mutt chuckled and leaned toward her, a look of suggestive promise on his skull. “sugar, i know how ta do a lotta things i’d love ta show ya.” 

Growling started around the table, and (Y/n) wondered how many of them had already forgotten it just being said that he was showing off how strong he was, supposedly. 

She stifled a laugh and recalled something before speaking. “Well, when I have a minute, you can tell me everything you know- but right now, tell me how you know about _this_.” 

There was some chuckling from the other skeletons, but the grin on her face told that she was saying a joke that he just didn’t get. 

“nyeh... well, darlin’, i use chemistry at my job, and i got a degree ‘r two in it, so, i _should_ know what the hell i’m doin’,” he told her with a smirk, and gave a wink at her shocked expression. 

“so you’ll do it, then?” Classic asked. 

“never done it for a human b’fore, but i’ll give it a shot… might need ta spend a lotta time with ya when ya hit heat, though, darlin, just so ya know…” 

He winked, and (Y/n) rolled her eyes. 

.

The meeting had been adjourned, and Blue had led (Y/n) to a spot where they could talk alone. 

“So, Blue,” she asked. 

Blue scuffed the toe of his boot on the floor. “I- GUESS I DON’T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY… I THOUGHT THAT THE OTHERS’ UNDERGROUNDS WOULD AT LEAST BE SEMI SIMILAR TO MINE, AND SO I WAS FIGHTING AGAINST ALL OF THEM FOR YOUR ATTENTION…” 

(Y/n) didn’t say anything, unsure of how to react, and instead just tried to think through it. 

“TURNS OUT THEY DON’T EVEN…” He shook his head. “ANYWAY… WELL, IT MAY ALSO HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH-” He cut off as his cheekbones started to glow a little. 

“With what?” 

“UM… I’M THE NEXT ONE… MY HEAT IS THE NEXT ONE COMING UP…” 

“Oh…” She didn’t know what to say to that; have a good heat? Many orgasms to you? “Does… It, uh, sounds frustrating…” 

“YES- ACTUALLY, IT DOESN’T SOUND TOO FAR OFF FROM YOUR CYCLE, UM, THE BLEEDING TIME OF IT- THOUGH I DON’T BLEED, OF COURSE- IT MAKES ME REALLY IRRITABLE, AND IS UNCOMFORTABLE, AND HURTS TO HIGH HELL… AND FEELS LIKE IT LASTS A YEAR,” he admitted. 

“It- it _hurts?”_ She asked. 

“OH- YES. IT’S… WHEN YOU GO INTO HEAT YOUR BODY MAKES TOO MUCH MAGIC, BECAUSE IT’S SUPPOSED TO BE GOING TO MAKING AN OFFSPRING. IT’S- IT’S KINDA LIKE IF YOU HAD A WATER BALLOON, AND YOU JUST DIDN’T TAKE IT OFF OF THE FAUCET, SO IT KEPT TRYING TO PACK ALL THAT WATER IN IT, BUT IT’S ONLY SO BIG, AND CAN ONLY STRETCH SO FAR.” 

“Huh,” (Y/n) commented thoughtfully. 

“HEATS ARE LIKE THAT BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO GET RID OF THE EXCESS MAGIC, AND IT’S DESIGNED TO BE BY- WELL, YOU KNOW.” He wasn’t even looking at her. “BUT, YES, IT HURTS, IT FEELS LIKE YOUR BODY IS BEING STRETCHED TO ITS LIMIT AND PUSHING FURTHER… AND IT CAN BE HOT AND ITCHY, GENERALLY UNCOMFORTABLE… BUT OF COURSE, ALSO THE…” he cleared his throat and looked to the other side, “EXTREME LIBIDO BOOST…” 

It was silent for a moment, both searching for something to say. 

“Is… is there anything that can help? I know that getting hunkered down with my favorite comfort snacks and super comfy blankets and stuff helps me…” 

“YOU NEST…?” He asked, looking up to her. 

“Uh… I guess…?” She answered. 

Blue hesitated, then shrugged and gave her one of his happy go lucky grins. “JUST THE USUAL STUFF, HONESTLY- COLD BATHS, EXERCISING A LOT, LAYING AROUND BEING GRUMPY- UH,” he made a motion with his hand that was instantly recognizable, “THOUGH, IT IS EASIER WITH A PARTNER.” 

(Y/n) smothered her laugh. “Ah, yep, totally the norm, then.” 

“UM, AND, NOW THAT WE’VE GOT ALL THAT STUFF FIGURED OUT, ABOUT THE CYCLES AND EVERYTHING, I WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU UNDERSTAND MY INTENTIONS,” he told her. 

“Oohhh?” She asked skeptically. 

Blue nodded, still with that childlike grin on his skull. “I INTEND TO WOO YOU, (Y/N).” 

“Oh, do you?” She asked, trying not to laugh at how cheesy he sounded. 

Blue stepped forward and her breath stalled in her chest, his hand lifting to brush at a lock of hair near her face, “YES,” his phalanges tracing back along her jaw to her chin, tilting his skull to the side as though preparing for a kiss, his eyelights focused on her lips. “I DO INDEED…” His eyelights moved back up to her eyes. “FOR AS LONG AS IT TAKES…” 

(Y/n) blinked at him, feeling herself getting flustered. 

This boy was probably going to be the death of her, especially if she kept forgetting how smooth he was just because of how immature he seemed sometimes… 

“I LOOK FORWARD TO ALL OF THE TIME WE’LL SPEND TOGETHER, AND I HOPE YOU DO, TOO.” 

“I, uh… yeah…” 

Oh good hell, (Y/n), she berated herself mentally, sound like _more_ of an idiot!

Blue gave her another big smile and lifted her hand to nuzzle it. “I HOPE WE CAN SPEND A LOT OF TIME TOGETHER SOON,” he told her before taking his leave and leaving her to try to regulate her bodily functions. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Can you believe I got another chapter of [Captive Love](https://archiveofourown.org/works/23589097) out?!  
> [Red saving Reader](https://www.deviantart.com/blackcatmagicdesign/art/Heated-Situations-Bone-Brigade-862574588?ga_submit_new=10%3A1606631002) by Brittany.
> 
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	30. Many Papyrus visits in a short time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edge comes back to the lodge, Mutt _hangs_ around...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to Lunar_Demise and ChildrenStoryHour (from tumblr) for helping me with proofreading this chapter!

Edge straightened his armor, posing and looking at his image in the full length mirror. 

Dark. Scowling. Rigid. Haughty. Perhaps a tad contemptuous… 

Intimidating. 

Perfect. 

Edge flipped the long, tattered end of his scarf behind him as he turned, pleased that it fluttered a little and took the appearance of a cape. 

He lifted his hand, clenching it into a fist and taking in the way it made the leather of his glove stretch over it, his skull twisting into an expression of gleeful malice. 

That human would pay for treating him as unworthy. 

He was going to show her, fully dressed for war. 

. 

(Y/n) scrubbed at the pan she'd been planning to cook dinner in, and then turned it over to see that whoever had used it last had burned something in it and hadn't gotten it all off. 

She honestly wouldn't have been surprised if whatever had been in it had caught on fire. 

Mutt, the only other person in the lodge, stood near her, tugging at the hem of her shirt, taking the same small steps she did so that he was always the same distance from her. 

"Holy freaking-" (Y/n) muttered to herself. "Mutt, stop." 

"c'mon, darlin'. ya won't even notice i'm there," he reasoned. 

" _Not_ notice a tall ass skeleton hanging on me? As I'm moving around, or, trying to, at least? Seems pretty implausible, Mutt." 

Mutt just smirked to her. "naw, i won't get in the way, promise." 

"No." 

"mmm, you're breakin' my non existent heart, sugar," he rumbled to her, though he didn't sound like he was anything other than neutral, or teasing. 

She didn't answer, so he tugged the hem of her shirt again. 

"just a hug, then?" He bargained. 

(Y/n) turned and looked at him, an unamused expression on her face. "One. One _short_ hug, and then if you stay in here you sit down." 

"ya drive a hard bargain, darlin', but alright," he agreed with his usual slightly amused tone. 

(Y/n) set down the scrubber and pan in her hands and rinsed them off before giving them a quick drying wipe with a towel and held her arms open. 

Mutt instantly wrapped his arms around her, pressing her tight to his bony body. One of his hands moved to bury his phalanges in her hair, and the side of his skull started at a nuzzle, but she quickly put a stop to it. 

"Hey- no. No marking," she told him firmly. 

Mutt gave an amused grumble. "aww, how'd ya get wise ta our antics s'fast?" 

"You're not very discreet," she told him. 

He chuckled, nuzzling his nasal ridge into the crook of her neck and nipping. 

"Ok, hug over," she told him, pushing back. 

Mutt let her go and went to sit at the table, kicking back in the booth side and closing his sockets. 

. 

Edge huffed and straightened his spine, lifting his jaw to look more regal, and opened the door to the lodge, heading to where he could hear someone scrubbing at dishes. 

When he got to the end of the short hall, he stopped in the doorway to the kitchen. 

"HUMAN," he started, and she looked up at him. 

"Oh, hi, Edge," she greeted casually before turning back to her task. 

Edge's posture drooped and his scowl deepened in confusion, but he quickly drew himself up again. 

"HUMAN! YOU WILL SHOW ME RESPECT!" 

"Um… 'k…" (Y/n) answered in confusion, glancing over at him. 

Edge was thrown again. 

She was acting completely nonplussed, like she wasn't afraid of him. 

He gritted his jaw, letting out an irritated noise, trying to figure out what to say to make her give him the proper respect, but was brought out of his thoughts by her voice. 

"Are you… doing maneuvers or something?" 

"WHAT? WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?! NO!" 

"Are you… cosplaying…?" She asked, having turned back to him and given him another once over. 

"WHAT?! NO! ARE YOU STUPID, HUMAN?! THIS IS MY BATTLE ARMOR!" He growled, and nearly shouted in aggravation. 

There was a subtle sound from his left and Edge looked over to see Mutt lying on the bench behind the table, where he had been completely hidden. He slowly lifted himself up so that his skull was visible above the table top. 

Edge felt a pricking up his spine at the impassive look the other skeleton was giving him, a slight skittering feeling along his bones that he recognized as a check. 

Mutt didn't need to check him; it was an obvious warning to watch himself. 

"Battle armor? Are you also in the royal guard?" She asked slowly, uncertain that was the correct thing to assume. 

Edge ripped his eyes away from Mutt, ignoring his neutral but threatening expression. 

"NOT ANYMORE. THEY DON'T HAVE NEED OF MY MERCILESS BATTLE PROWESS HERE IN THIS SOFT LAND OF WIMPS,” he told her, pointedly ignoring Mutt. 

“Oh, so, back home, then,” she commented. 

Edge grit his fangs together again before growling and yelling, “SHUT UP, HUMAN!” 

A deep rumbling started from the other side of the table, and Edge looked over to see Mutt glaring at him, the threat of dusting in his sockets. 

Edge felt frustration building in his bones. 

How was he supposed to intimidate the human and make her respect him with Black’s guard dog being so territorial over her?! The mini tyrant had probably ordered him here to make sure no one else came near her. 

Pathetic! 

If you couldn't woo your interest yourself, you didn't deserve them! 

“Wow, Edge, you come in here and demand respect, but act like that? Don’t you know you get what you give?” She asked, shaking her head at him like she was disappointed. “In other words; if you want me to be pissed off and telling you what an asshole you are, this is the way to do it, but not the way to get respect.”

“YOU WILL SHUT YOUR MOUTH, HUMAN,” Edge growled lowly to her through his clenched teeth, “AND YOU WILL GIVE ME RESPECT BECAUSE I DESERVE IT.” 

Mutt growled louder, rubbing it in that he didn't even have to stand or be on the same side of the table to be a threat. 

Edge glanced at Mutt, an irritated noise building in him. 

“Edge, I’m going to have to ask you to quit yer shit, or leave,” (Y/n) told him, a look that left no doubt that she was being serious on her face. 

The lazier skeleton's deceptively neutral skull was still staring at him, he was growling threats, but Edge didn’t want to give in. He wanted to get his point across and have the respect he deserved! 

Mutt flashed his sharp teeth, letting his magic spark just enough to glint off of the false fang. 

Edge was really starting to piss him off, but he had to give it to him; he wasn’t backing down, even though he knew that Mutt could dust him without much trouble. 

Mutt could appreciate Edge’s tenacity, he could. The only thing that had surprised him this much recently was Blue growling a “back off” warning at Black when he was right there, and then still growling at him when he let out a threatening response. 

A chuckle bubbled up at the memory. 

He’d been about to bury his skull between (Y/n)’s thighs, but he’d been stopped by his brother, and Blue had growled at him, the territorial little shit. 

He wondered if Blue would be less territorial now that he knew that no one else was working on taking her away for only themselves forever. 

Edge gave an irritated huff that pulled him out of his revery. 

“I OWN THIS PROPERTY! YOU CAN’T ASK ME TO LEAVE MY OWN PLACE!” 

“partially own,” Mutt cut in, standing and stalking over to Edge, his shoulders a little hunched, eyelights glowing with a warning that he was starting shit he didn’t want to start, shit that he may not walk away from. “i’m an owner, too.”

Edge turned to Mutt and lifted a fist, clenching it in agitation, which Mutt countered with a growl. 

Edge made a dissatisfied sound and turned back to (Y/n), sneering. "WERE YOU SO FRIGHTENED THAT I WOULD RAIN VENGEANCE ON YOU THAT YOU HAD TO BRIBE THE OTHERWISE USELESS MONGREL TO GUARD YOU?" He snarled as a spark of magic hit him. 

"I didn't bribe squat- he's just here because he's harassing me-" She cut off, her eyes focused at his side in question.

There was hardly a beat of silence before Edge felt a sharp phalange digging into his spine. 

"ya feel that? ya coulda already been dust," Mutt breathed near his skull before using the phalange in Edge’s spine to push himself away. 

(Y/n) rubbed one hand over her face, exasperated. “Look. You guys, stop. Edge, master of all edges, please just go. I’m trying to get this stupid pan clean so I can use it to make dinner for everyone, or else _I’d_ leave, seriously. This is juvenile.” 

Edge tried not to scoff. Juvenile? This was anything but. 

This was an adult monster threatening another adult monster for getting too close to what he thought of as his. 

This was an adult monster warning another adult monster that he could and would dust him if he didn’t leave. 

Edge let out another frustrated huff and tossed his scarf as he turned, telling them, “THIS ISN’T THE END OF THIS!” 

“I’m sure,” (Y/n) muttered. 

After hearing the door slam shut, (Y/n) turned back to the sink and picked up the pan again with a sigh. 

Mutt walked closer, standing right behind her. 

“now can i, darlin’?” 

"Arrgh, Mutt!" She sighed roughly. 

Mutt tugged at her shirt again, softly entreeting, "c'mon, sugar, i just wanna cuddle." 

(Y/n) sighed. 

"ya really gonna deny a touch starved monster like me cuddles? hm?" He wheedled. 

(Y/n) sighed again. "You're getting off the moment I have trouble doing _anything_." 

"as ya say, darlin'," he agreed, stepping closer behind her. He pressed his ribs to her back, his arms folding around her ribs and shoulders hunching a bit so his jaw was resting on her head. 

(Y/n) was surprised that she couldn't feel his weight pressing down on her with how large he was, and how easily he seemed to move with her, almost like he was floating, just gliding along with her. 

After a few moments, Mutt let out a soft, rumbling hum. "honey boy was right; ya _are_ soft." 

(Y/n) let out a huff of laughter, rinsing the pan again to see how much progress she'd made, still shocked that he wasn't in the way at all. 

"mmm, while i'm here, darlin', i have somethin' ta tell ya." 

"Yeah? What's that?" She asked. 

"m'lord's interested in ya. he's got intentions for ya," he told her, his soft voice still its rough, neutral sound. 

(Y/n) paused, her eyes on the pan she was glad to be almost finished with. 

Intentions…? Like Blue had declared; to woo her? 

Mutt's skull moved, going to the side of her head and nuzzling where her jaw and ear met. "so've i," he rumbled next to her ear, sending a shock of desire through her. "so, consider this a declaration."

It definitely didn't help that he only gave her a breath to process his words before his tongue slid down the sensitive skin behind her jaw and he started nibbling at her there. 

That tiny shock of desire was turning into sparks of electricity, and (Y/n)'s breath caught in her lungs. 

She swallowed roughly, wanting her voice to sound normal. "Mutt, stop…" Her voice was still embarrassingly breathy and about as firm as pudding. 

"nn nyeh heh… ya sure there, darlin'? seems like ya kinda like it," he intoned, his rough voice rumbling through her skin to all of her organs. 

He gave a gentle nip and she almost moaned, but forced it into a, "n-nooo!" 

The front door closed in the background, but neither paid much attention to it. 

"your body is sayin' otherwise," Mutt teased. 

"(Y/n)," a voice called, bringing her out of the haze she'd been slipping into. 

She straightened herself in Mutt's grip, giving a firm, "stop." 

Mutt lifted his hands to the air and stepped back, looking like a surrender, though she knew it was anything but. 

She looked over at the doorway and saw Bun standing there silently, faded eyelights going from one to the other, and she felt like her face was on fire. 

Bun, ever the perfect host, even when he wasn't hosting, didn't comment, instead continuing his thought from before. "I Have Wonderful News. Sans And I Have Been Talking And… I Think I'm Ready To Go Into Town… For The Doctors," he unknowingly answered her unasked question of why he was there.

(Y/n) gasped in surprise as her face cracked wide with a smile. "That's amazing, Bun!" She cried as she rushed to hug him. "I'm so proud! I'll make the appointments! Any time that works best?" 

Bun wrapped his arms around her as well, feeling his soul warm. "Later Is Better; Sans Wants To Come With Us…" he trailed off a bit uncertainly. 

"Alright," she told him, head still against his ribs, "I'll try to accommodate for his laziness." 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not much to say... but if you have if you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	31. Bun's new face!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bun gets a whole new face today! While (Y/n) drags them through town.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys! can you believe that this story has gotten 31252 hits?! oewrkndknkd...  
> Thank you all! And for all the kudos and comments! 💖💖  
> So, this chapter is huge, again. I'm sure you're all complaining... lol. But! Of note; I've never had braces, but I've known a few people, including two of my cousins, who have. So I did research, but I'm not 100% accurate, I'm sure. Plus it's a bit different than just a normal appointment because of all the other stuff (they're monsters, Sans growling at people...).  
> Enjoy some verbally slapping people around in the beginning, here, and yes, I... maybe may possibly have had to do something similar to this while trying to get clients appointments sometimes... "We don't have any availabilities. So you'd just have to sit and wait, for however long- usually about three to four hours." Cool, well, it'll kill about half my shift, and I'm getting paid to be there, so whatever! "You... really plan to come in and sit here for three to four hours?" Yep. And, uh, do you guys have cleaning supplies on hand? One of my clients has toileting issues. "...Let me find you an appointment..." Cool. 😏  
> There are very important notes in the end of what to expect for next week.

_"Hello, Dr. Marx's office, how can I help you?"_

(Y/n) took a breath and put on her "professional" voice, knowing this would go so much smoother if they thought they were speaking to a staff so she could cut through some of the bullshit. 

"Hello!" She greeted with an upbeat attitude. "I'm looking for an optometrist for a client of mine, and I just wanted to check if you had the equipment to do exams on monsters?"

 _"Oh. Well, we do have one room with the equipment, but our optometrist that's trained on it has a sporadic schedule since he's through two other clinics as well."_

There was a pause as the receptionist pulled up the schedule, and luckily, it went smoothly from there. 

After that call, she made the next, which, unfortunately, did not go as well. 

_“I’m sorry, but you’re going to need a referral for a visit here.”_

“Ah, no, I don’t. As strange as it sounds, I know that you don’t need a referral for an appointment with an orthodontist,” (Y/n) replied. 

_“There isn’t a way to make an appointment without a referral,”_ the receptionist told her. 

(Y/n) took a deep breath and pushed her frustration away. 

“Look, I can tell, with my zero years of dentistry, that my guy is going to need at least braces, if not something more. I have no idea what the something more could be, but that’s because I don’t have any training.” The rude little noises of agreement in her ear weren’t helping her falling mood… “And I also know that you don’t need a referral.” 

_“Listen,_ ma’am _,”_ the person started again, but she cut them off. 

“No, _you_ listen. We are customers. We are trying to consume the services you provide. There _is_ no insurance, and therefore no reason that we would need to satisfy anyone with a referral- which _isn’t necessary_ , by the way- and in order to take in your services, I’ll be glad to come in and sit in the waiting room until the doctor will see us. If you don’t have the time for an appointment right now, I’m sure that the boys and I will have a great time sitting around waiting until something opens up. And, while the one getting the work is a bit nervous, but very well mannered, his brother is very- hmm… how do I put it… unsocialized? Yeah, ‘unsocialized’ about covers it. And of course, I’d have to bring both boys with me, so… let me put it to you this way-” She let it hang for a moment before taking in a breath, and she could almost feel the uncertainty on the other end of the line. 

“If you, as the only orthodontist office in town who has the skills and tools to work on a monster, refuse service to this _protected citizen_ under the guise of ‘requiring a referral’, then I’m going to have to not only turn you in to the state for abuse and neglect of a protected person, but also, to make sure that he is getting taken care of, I _will_ come sit in your office _every day_ until he is seen, with his brother, who doesn’t like humans. And he’s going to need a lot of work, so not only will it be until he’s seen, it’ll be until the work is _done_. No matter _how long it takes._ ” The other side of the line was silent except for the soft sound of breathing. “If there ‘are no appointments’, then we will wait until either, there is an opening, or _one becomes available_. My condolences in advance, as the brother is anxious, doesn’t like humans, and is quite _intimidating_ even when he’s doing nothing other than relaxing.” 

There was another moment of hesitation, and then, _“you said that you don’t have insurance?”_

“That’s correct,” (Y/n) agreed. 

_“Then we’re going to need payment up front.”_ A last ditch effort to try to get rid of her. 

“No problem.” 

_“And- we’ll need all forms of ID.”_

“No problem, monsters only have the one.” 

_“And we’ll also need any medical records.”_

“No problem; he doesn’t have any.” 

_“And we’ll also need you to be here half an hour early.”_

“No problem.” 

_“It looks like the only time we have available is-”_

(Y/n) chuckled. “You realize that as a caregiver, it is literally my job to take clients to things like this, and I will not only be getting paid to be there, so the longer you take, the more I get paid, but I will also be reporting the happenings there in our paperwork that goes up to the state…?” 

There was silence on the line. 

“Now, whatever bullshit you’re trying to set us up for, I suggest you find an appointment that will let there be a lot of time to work on my client’s mouth.” 

She made a note to call Classic after this and ask for the whole month’s pay, hoping that it would be enough to cover the bullshit they were going to put her through, or at least enough to get a payment plan started. 

… … … … 

(Y/n) knocked on the door, waiting only a moment for it to open and reveal Axe- Sans. He was the only Sans here right now, so it wouldn’t be confusing to call him Sans. 

“hey, lamb,” he greeted, opening the door and stepping aside. “paps’s upstairs gettin’ ready ta go.” 

(Y/n) gave him a smile and stepped inside, going near the couch, but not sitting down. Sans followed her, standing near her, but not sitting either. 

“Hey, Sans… can I ask you something?” 

“sure, shoot, lamb,” he chuckled. 

“So, you said that your reality and Classic’s, this reality, were the closest, right?” He nodded. “So… did you guys- um… bond?” She asked herself quietly before nodding. “Did you guys do bonding?” 

Sans scratched near the hole in his skull, tilting it, then shook it. “no, not really a normal thing. ‘specially after things started goin’ downhill. at first monsters got closer… but… then, after a while… it was more of a liability ta have more people dependin’ on ya.” 

“So… you guys did the… free range, not really dating thing, then?” 

Sans shrugged, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “guess it was somethin’ like that.” 

“N- never like… polyamory…?” She asked, her voice getting smaller with each word. 

“poly… uh... that doesn’t sound… familiar…” He answered thoughtfully. “why are ya askin’?” 

“I-” (Y/n) looked away, feeling her embarrassment at the situation rising. “I… was wondering because… it seemed like everyone’s versions of the Underground were different and had different types of relationship standards…” 

“uh-huh,” he hummed, waiting for more. 

“And… I don’t know… it’s been a while since I’ve had _a_ relationship, let alone a serious one…” 

“uh-huh,” he hummed, waiting for more. 

“I don’t… I mean, in theory, I know how that stuff works, but in practice… who could be attracted to such a way of relationships?” 

“whadda ya mean?” 

“Well, didn’t people in your Underground get lonely, like, because they didn’t have stable relationships or something?” She asked. 

“just because ya don’t bond or dedicate your lives ta only each other doesn’t mean ya don’t have stable relationships,” he told her. 

“Y-yeah?” 

“yeah. ‘n fact, ya can get as much support as ya need, ‘cause you’re not stuck with only one person for the rest of your life.” 

(Y/n) thought about that for a minute. 

“why are ya askin’ ‘bout this stuff…?” 

“I-” she let out a flustered breath. “The- other guys… some of them have kinda… what did they say… ‘made their intentions known’... so… it's like they… declared that they wanted to date me, or something…” 

Sans gave a slightly irritated, but amused huff. “and?” 

“I don’t know… It feels really weird! I’m an employee, and- it’s ill advised for an employee to have any other kind of relationship with their boss, right?” 

He paused, then nodded in a motion for her to continue. 

“And- and! I don’t understand why they’d all- it just- I’m so confused about what they’re doing!” She declared in frustration. “Blue, and then Mutt, for him _and_ Black- what is it they want to gain?!” 

“sounds like they’re after specifically you,” he told her. 

“I… I don't know how I feel about that; I don't know how I feel about having multiple relationships at the same time- I don’t even know how monster relationships work, and with them being so different for each of them where they're from, what possible chance would I have to try to keep up with things? I’ll never be able to have different types of relationships with different people at the same time, just because that’s what they’re used to. If I had to have a relationship where you weren’t expected to be serious and monogamous, I don’t know that I’d even know what to do in it! I’ve never really been in any other kind of relationship, and not really any of those, especially recently… plus… I don't know if they really want to get into a relationship with me, or just… into my pants…” 

Sans was quiet for a moment. “well, if ya really wanna figure it out, ya should ask what they’re expectin’ of ya… and see if it’s somethin’ you’re inta.” 

(Y/n) sighed. “You’re right, Sans…” 

“yeah- happens a lot. less than it used ta, but still a lot.” He paused, looking her over. “i gotta question for _you_ , now, lamb- why are ya tellin’ _me_ this? ya showin’ off that ya got too many skeletons chasin’ after ya? so many suitors ya don’t know what ta do with ‘em?” 

“I- n-no,” she answered, surprise in her voice. 

“so why come ta me ta talk about it?" He asked, looking her over. 

"I- I guess because… I figured that you guys would be the best to talk about it with…? Since neither of you would be interested." 

"interested in what?" 

"Huh?" 

"neither of us would be interested in what?" He asked again. 

"In- in getting…" 

Sans was obviously trying to cause her to get flustered, his grin growing farther across his skull. "gettin'...?" 

"Well, into a relationship, or into my pants, or whatever…" She mumbled. “That’s why I’m safe here when the others go into heat, right…?”

"heh." He stepped closer to her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "lamb, i can't speak for paps, but, for me-" 

(Y/n) gasped as he pulled her against him, tripping slightly and her hands going out to steady her against his chest. 

"don't count me outta it," he told her, his words brushed against her lips just before his teeth did. 

(Y/n) was surprised, the firm press of his teeth nuzzling her lips for a moment before cracking open, coaxing her lips to follow, and letting his tongue slip out to meet hers in her mouth. 

For a fraction of a second, she didn't move, but then his tongue flicked over hers, and her eyes fell closed, a breath rushing from her as her tongue answered his. 

Sans tightened his hands on her, pressing her close enough that she felt like she should feel his ribs through their clothes, but he didn't feel different than anyone she'd ever kissed before. 

One hand was between her shoulder blades, the other on her hip, holding her tight against him as his tongue explored her mouth, rubbing against hers. 

(Y/n) held tight to him as a moan worked its way out of her. She was starting to feel lightheaded, like she was floating, hanging on to Sans so she didn't fall down. 

And then his tongue retreated from her mouth, and she felt hazy, taking in breaths as she tried to equalize herself. 

Her eyes fluttered a bit as she opened them and saw him looking at her with a smug smirk and a chuckle. 

"ya ok, lamb?" 

(Y/n) felt blood flooding her face, heat creeping up her neck, and she pushed back from him. 

"sure ya can stand?" He teased, his low voice nothing short of self satisfied. 

"Shut up," she mumbled as she stood on her own feet again. As she straightened herself, her eyes happened over the bottom of the stairway, where she saw Bun standing. Her jaw fell slack as she tried to figure out what to say, growing more flustered. 

Sans apparently didn't have that problem. He shoved his hands in his pockets and looked over at Bun. "hey, bro." 

"Hello," Bun answered after a moment, moving closer to them. 

"ready ta go?" Sans asked, still looking completely at ease. 

"Yes, I Believe So," Bun answered, looking between them. 

" _you_ ready, little lamb?" 

Good gravy, she could _hear_ the smug smirk in his voice. 

(Y/n) cleared her throat, brushing out her clothes with her hands. "Y-yeah. Um- um, Bun- Bun, I think you'd be less crowded in the-" Oh gods, she could feel her face heating with embarrassment when she realized that would leave her up front with Sans, alone, "in the back… in the camper… So you don't have to squish down in the front…" 

"Ok, (Y/n)," he agreed easily. 

. 

(Y/n) pulled up to the small building, setting everything in park and unbuckling, watching the way Sans warily took in his surroundings as he climbed out of the cab. 

(Y/n) opened the door to the back, seeing Bun sitting on the floor. "I tried to take the turns as easy as possible," she told him apologetically. 

"Oh, I Sat On The Floor Because The Ceiling Is Taller That Way," he assured her, though he sounded nervous, and it wasn't hard to tell it was due to the new location. 

(Y/n) gave him a big grin and held out her arm, taking his and sticking close to him as she led them into the building. 

She was glad that she had training to deal with having more than one socially uncomfortable person in public at the same time, since she could keep an eye on Sans to make sure he didn't get overwhelmed or over defensive and keep Bun calm and reassured at the same time. 

The receptionist looked up to greet them and jumped, a visible flinch shooting through him. 

(Y/n) gave a wave with her free hand and pulled Bun closer. “Hello, I made an appointment for an eye exam for my friend here.” 

“Aaahhhhhh, ok- um-” He cleared his throat and looked down at the schedule on his system. “Ok, Mr… Bun?” 

“Just Bun,” (Y/n) put in helpfully. 

“Ah- right- um, if you’ll come this way, sir…” 

They crammed into the small office, and after a moment, the optometrist came in, startled by the large and intimidating skeletons, but not too put off; just an initial shock of the unexpected. 

He greeted them and went through all of the niceties, looking over the clipboard he had and asking questions before starting. 

A short time later, they had a prescription and headed back to (Y/n)'s truck. 

"Ok, so I figured that we'd go to the dentist next and pick the glasses up on the way back when I planned the appointments," (Y/n) explained as they all got back into her truck and headed to the next place. 

"ya think paps's really gonna be able to have no pain in his jaw after this?" Sans asked as they started off down the road. 

"Well- the hope is that in the long run it'll be better, but immediately after- I remember one of my friends always saying how much they hated the orthodontist, and how much their mouth hurt after a tightening… so it’s going to hurt for a little bit, at least… and that’s… just the braces…” 

Sans’ skull whipped to her, giving a glare. 

“It- they- look!” (Y/n) tried to cut off his anger. “I’d never let anyone do anything to hurt him! I don’t want him to hurt, ok! But… think of it this way; it hurts him for a couple of months, maybe a couple of weeks when they tighten them, for the next three or so years… that’s… maybe six months to a year of pain…? But there will be better times between, too- and after it’s done, it’s not supposed to hurt anymore…” 

Sans made a grumbling noise and glared out the window instead. 

The lady at the receptionist’s desk gave a barely hidden look of horror at Bun, and Sans growled at her. She was already reaching for the phone by the time they got to the desk, calling back for someone, and turned away a bit as they waited to speak to her. 

Finally, she hung the phone up and looked up to them. “The doctor’s assistant will be with you shortly, if you’ll take a seat.” 

(Y/n) gave her a grin and led the skeletons over to the seating area. 

It was very literally less than five minutes before the dental assistant opened the door and came out to escort them into the back. 

Sans scowled at everyone they came across, falling behind a bit, but they were soon even as Bun started nervously taking smaller and smaller steps. 

“I- I Don’t Think I Need The Braces After All,” he told them. 

“Bun, I know it’s kinda intimidating, but you’ll be ok; I’m not going to let anyone hurt you,” (Y/n) took his hand in hers and rubbed her other hand over it. 

“But- But, I’m Saying That I’m Better! I Don’t Need Braces!” He tried to tell her with false cheer. 

“Bun, I’ll be as close as I can- I already explained that we’re going to have to be in the room with you- and I think that’s where they’re taking us, anyway,” she told him, giving a squeeze to his hand. 

The dental assistant stopped at a room and stepped aside. “We’ll be in this room.” 

They managed to get Bun relaxed a bit in the chair by the time the doctor came in, (Y/n) and Sans with a hand each. 

They managed to keep him calm through the initial exam, and when the dentist brought out the equipment for braces, including the cleaning solution, Bun tried to get up, but they managed to get him sat back down, relaxed enough to get the mask with the anesthesia onto him, long enough for it to start working. 

“Just to help you relax so we can get the work done,” the doctor assured. 

“SANS I CAN’T FEEL MY SKIN,” Bun worriedly mentioned. 

Sans chuckled. “ya don’t have skin, bro.” 

“OH! THAT’S- THAT’S PROBABLY... HUMAN- I’M GLAD MY BROTHER DIDN’T EAT YOU WHEN WE FIRST MET!” 

“Me, too, Bun,” she told him, trying not to laugh. 

The orthodontist did what he could with attaching the brackets and wires for braces with everything that was going on, taking about three hours to do so. 

Sans spent most of the time clutching at his eye socket when he managed to get his hand away from (Y/n), his other still clenched around his brother’s. 

(Y/n) took his hand and stuck it in Bun’s, then switched sides so that he couldn’t grab at his socket with the usual hand, turning and pulling him into a hug with her free hand. 

“They’re not hurting him, I promise,” she assured. “I’d never let them hurt him. I’d never hold you back if they were hurting him. I’ve been to the dentist a few times in my life,” she told him, speaking loud enough to be heard over his growl, “they’re not doing anything strange. It’s all normal. It’s all to help.” 

Sans slowly stopped growling, though he still held the orthodontist in his glare as he wrapped his arm around her as well. The orthodontist, for his part, looked more at ease when the growling stopped, and was able to work faster. 

Through it all, the dental assistants came and went, the times when Bun was awake enough to comment, with him making comments to them. Sweet, if silly, things like thanking them for helping his teeth stop slouching, and complimenting them on their skills in their jobs. 

They had to reapply the gas a few times, but over all, the application, at least, went smoothly. 

When they were done for this round, (Y/n) stood in the waiting room, keeping Sans at her side as she made another appointment, Bun sitting just to the side in a chair with a couple of the dental assistants that had been in the room the most hanging around him, smiling and happily talking to him. 

(Y/n) smiled when she turned back, bumping Sans with her shoulder. “See? Everything’s fine. Everyone loves him.” 

Sans gritted his jaw a bit, but shrugged into his jacket more. “my bro _is_ the coolest…” 

“One of them,” she told him with a grin. 

Sans grumbled a little, but she saw his cheekbones get a bit bright with his magic. 

After setting up the next appointment, they headed back to the truck, Bun walking with a hunch as he used the other two as crutches. 

Sitting him in the doorway to the camper, Sans shortcutting in to pull from behind while (Y/n) helped lift and push from outside. 

After successfully getting him settled, (Y/n) looked up at Sans. “Well, it’s been a while, and I know we didn’t eat, because of the orthodontist, are you hungry?” 

Sans plopped down in the seat at the table, glanced over to where his brother was laying down, looking at his hands held over his head. “can- can he eat with those on?” 

(Y/n) nodded. “Yep. I looked it up and he can eat soft foods and stuff, but nothing sticky, hard, or chunky for a while.” 

Bun reached out to her, catching her hip and pulling her to him. “ARE WE GOING SOMEWHERE?” 

(Y/n) had a slight moment of panic as she fell to her butt on the floor, then was pulled against Bun’s side as he wrapped his arm around her. 

“Yes,” she answered when she’d calmed her spike of adrenaline. “We’re going to get you some ice cream.” 

“AS LONG AS WE DON’T GO TO GRILLBY’S! I KNOW SANS LOVES IT- BUT IT’S GREASY!” 

“No greasy food, got it,” (Y/n) held back her chuckles. 

“WHAT FLAVORS OF NICE CREAM ARE YOUR FAVORITE?” 

“Um- I… don’t think I’ve ever had _Nice_ cream before…?” She looked up at Sans in question. 

“monster food,” he supplied. 

(Y/n) nodded in understanding. “Nope, never had it, Bun. Maybe you can show me when you’re not all fuzzy on gas.” 

Sans didn’t take his eyelight from her face. The smile was back. He remembered his brother’s silliness from earlier and his grin twitched up. 

“I LIKE HUGGING YOU, (Y/N)! YOU’RE SOFT AND SQUISHY- VERY NICE TO HOLD!” 

(Y/n) laughed as she was pressed to his chest. “That’s what some of the other Papyrus-es -Pap- Papyri have said, too. Maybe it’s a Papyrus thing to think I’m squishy.” 

“NO- MY BROTHER THINKS YOU’RE SQUISHY AND NICE TO HOLD, TOO,” Bun told her, Sans’ entire body went rigid. 

“Oh, really?” (Y/n) looked at him teasingly. “Maybe it’s just a skeleton thing, then.” 

“MAYBE!” Bun agreed, not noticing the masked embarrassment on his brother’s face. 

“You guys aren’t too bad to hug, either. Not as hard and pointy as I thought you’d be.” 

“IT’S OUR MAGIC,” Bun told her. 

“Ahh,” she answered, like that made perfect sense, even though she still had no idea how it would work. “Well, I have to go drive us to get the ice cream, Bun, you gotta let go.” 

“SIGH!” He dramatically put his forearm over his skull, his sockets still peeking out through his radius and ulna. “I SUPPOSE I CAN LET GO, FOR ICE CREAM!” 

(Y/n) laughed as she climbed back up, looking over to Sans. 

Sans looked back to his brother and told her, “i’m gonna stay back here and watch ‘im.” 

“Good idea,” she nodded, then climbed down from the truck camper and around to the cab. 

They went through a drive through it sounded like, and then parked in the parking lot and (Y/n) brought the food around to the camper to share, sitting at the table with Sans while Bun insisted that he was more comfortable on the floor. He also seemed to be more himself. 

“I see that you’re more with us, now,” (Y/n) teased. 

Bun shifted away and a bit of magic flared on his cheekbones as he took a bite of the ice cream. 

Sans snorted and tossed a few fries into his mouth. 

“I… I Have Come Back Down To Earth A Bit…” 

Sans snuck a glance at (Y/n), taking in the fond look she had while looking at his brother. 

They ate their food, keeping a small conversation going that was mostly Bun and (Y/n), like usual, with Sans mostly listening. 

It was a really comfortable moment, sounds of life outside the camper, sun shining in through the curtains on the tiny window, his two favorite people enjoying food with him while danger wasn’t lurking behind every corner… 

Sans stared at the last bite of his burger for a bit before eating it. It was deliciously greasy- it seemed that (Y/n) had taken his brother’s complaint the correct way and gotten him something greasy while making sure that the food she got for his brother was not. 

How different it was than it had been, only a few months ago… 

“Hey, Sans?” (Y/n)’s voice pulled him out of his thoughts. 

“yeah?” He asked. 

“So… your Underground was… non monogamous…?” 

“yeah, told ya that earlier,” he reminded her. 

“Y-yeah… um… But, do you know what soul compatibility is?” 

Sans shook his head. “nah, never heard of it.” 

“It Sounds Like… It Sounds Like Something You’d Hear About In Some Fated Romance Novel Type Story,” Bun put in. 

“Like ‘soulmates’, right?” (Y/n) asked. 

“Yes! I Believe That’s What It Is,” Bun agreed. 

“See, I knew I wasn’t stupid for thinking so,” (Y/n) muttered. 

“who called ya stupid?” Sans asked with a displeased expression. 

“No one, I just- just kinda felt that way… Um, but- so… So, I guess there’s a thing called soul compatibility, and it’s like your souls being compatible- or-” She shook her head and decided to go with the explanation that Blue had given. “It’s like soulmates, but in large scale; a smaller group of people that you’re compatible with, and I guess would do well with.” 

Sans nodded and Bun looked interested. 

“You Mean That There Are People That Would Make Your Soul Flutter, Right?” 

(Y/n) nodded. “I think that’s basically it.” 

Bun stroked his chin with his hand, forgetting about the braces now on his teeth and having to pull his hand away from them a couple of times. “That’s Very Interesting- Almost Like A Treasure Hunt!” 

(Y/n) chuckled. “Yeah.” 

Sans took a drink from his cup, his eyelights still on her. “so- why didn’t we know about this before?” 

(Y/n) shrugged back as she chewed a bite of her food and swallowed. “Classic said that because monsters were non monogamous they didn’t really pay attention to that… I guess the rest doesn’t apply to you, though…?” She mumbled to herself. 

“rest of what?” 

“The- um… Stuff about cycles; that, due to the soul compatibility, my cycles are affecting the others’ heat cycles… but since you guys don’t have them, I guess it’s not really a concern.” 

“Luckily!” Bun added. “That Way You’ll Have Somewhere Safe To Be During Your Heat!”

“The others also talked about making something like a repressor for it…” 

“a what?” Sans asked. 

“Like, to not… um… so I don’t smell good?” She shrugged. “You didn’t have that?” 

“nah- didn’t have any need for it; just found someone, or didn’t.” 

“Huh…” (Y/n) hummed in puzzlement, then looked down at her phone when it made a noise. “Looks like the glasses are done.” 

They got Bun another ice cream and headed back toward the optometrist’s office, Sans a bit more comfortable there the second time around, though he was a bit watchful and anxious. 

They ran into a bit of a problem since Bun didn’t have ears to hold them up, but the optometrist just thought for a moment, then went and got a package from the wall, opening it as he walked, connecting it to the ear pieces of the glasses and helping him put them on, the strap around the back of his skull to keep them on, and adjusted it, letting the elastic be just a bit tighter than normal to keep them on, but still able to be pulled off as usual. 

“There we go,” he commented, looking at his handy work. “A sports strap; will do the trick.”

After a bit of fiddling to adjust the fit of the frames, the optometrist stepped back and let Bun look around. 

“How does it look, Bun?” (Y/n) asked, stepping closer. 

He looked down to her from the intricate design of the ceiling, and she could see that there were tears in his eye sockets. 

“Bun-” She started nervously, worried that he was going to have some kind of negative reaction. 

“(Y/n)- (Y/n)!” He hurried to her, falling to his knees and framing her head with his hands, still about a head taller than her. 

“Bun, are you ok?” She asked worriedly, nervousness twisting in her gut, and Sans stepped closer. 

“I- I’M WONDERFUL,” he told her, the tears getting bigger, threatening to spill over. “IT’S THE HAPPIEST DAY IN MY LIFE-!” 

“Aw, Bun,” (Y/n) smiled, joy filling her heart. 

“I- I CAN SEE YOUR FACE,” he told her, tears breaking free and rolling down his skull. “I CAN FINALLY SEE MY WONDERFUL FRIEND’S BEAUTIFUL FACE!” 

She felt her heart twist at the sweetness, her eyes falling closed and smile threatening to stretch her face beyond its normal restraints as she burrowed deeper into the hug he pulled her into. 

. 

Sans sat in the back, sitting at the table in the camper, telling his bro to sit in the front where the ‘best show is.’ 

He could hear the excited exclamations as he saw the world better than he’d probably ever seen it before, and it being the surface made it nicer, for sure. Being out of that hellhole made life easier, but nothing had made it better than when he’d stumbled onto (Y/n), the human who went out of her way to help them, despite a bad start… 

The truck finally stopped, and he opened the door to the camper when the engine cut off. He ducked through and stepped down, walking around the truck with his hands shoved in his pockets, watching his brother run from place to place, leaning close and inspecting everything like nothing short of someone who could see for the first time in years. 

Sans stopped next to (Y/n), watching as Bun examined something on a leaf. 

He turned to her, making a noise in his non existent throat that made her look at him. “ya know, ‘bout what my bro said earlier…” She tilted her head in confusion, and if she noticed how close to her he was, she didn’t comment on it. “when he was- doped up,” he explained. “heh… i’m glad i didn’t eat ya, too.” 

She let out a loud laugh. “Oh? That so?” 

“yep,” he told her with a nod. “it was a pretty good investment,” he nodded to his brother. 

(Y/n) smiled, sticking her own hands in her pockets as her gaze followed his direction. 

Sans put an arm around her waist and pulled her against his side. “should really thank ya.”

She turned to look at him in question, but his other hand came up and caught her jaw as he turned to her, his teeth pressing against her lips again. 

Sans opened his jaw, slipping his tongue to tangle with hers, twisting and smoothing over it, tasting and feeling out the rest of her mouth. 

She fought her hands out of her pockets and they came up to clutch at either side of the open zipper of his jacket, not quite pushing him away, but also not quite pulling him closer, a delicate moan bubbling in her throat. 

His phalanges buried themselves in her hair and he tilted her head, deepening the kiss while his other arm tightened and pressed her against him. She sounded so sweet, and tasted just as wonderful as she sounded, but the best part was how soft she felt in his arms, against his body… 

A soft growl rumbled from where the back of his throat would be, his tongue following it with a flick across in the inside of her mouth. 

More soft noises started coming from her, and he could smell her starting to react, a scent of readiness building around her. 

For a moment he was transported back to before everything went to hell, just a skeleton with a need, finding the answer in another’s reactions and body… 

Sans pulled himself away, feeling a hunger inside him that hadn’t been fully sated in a long time, different from the hunger that burned and clawed at his missing guts, wreaking its havoc a bit lower, teasing him with the memory of what it felt like to be satisfied. 

(Y/n) was again clinging to him, her face hazy and eyes unfocused for a moment, her hands gripping tighter to him so she didn’t fall over. 

When her eyes cleared, she looked up at him, a feeling of uncertainty and nervousness building in her. 

She’d started the day seeing all of the skeletons as nothing more than the other people living here, friends, or not where a couple were concerned, worried that a few might just be trying to get into her pants, and completely unsure that she could ever actually see doing that with any of them- 

But then Sans had kissed her- once that morning, which had made her think that kissing might be fun, but then, just now, with enough passion that she had started thinking of him lifting her onto the table in the camper and losing some clothes… 

Oh, and the way he was looking at her definitely amplified that… It made her want to grab him and start kissing him again, and not in that 'having fun' way that casual making out was; in that hot, heavy, 'can’t wait to get each other’s clothes off and explore bodies' way. 

She ducked her head, glancing around to try and ground herself, and saw Bun turned to them, his eyelights blinking as he observed them, and felt embarrassment flooding her. 

“I- should- g-get back-” she took a breath trying to stop her stutter, “back to the- ta the- um, l- lodge! Yeah… uh… S-see you guys later!” She called as she went back to the cab of the truck and climbed in, hoping she didn’t look like she was running away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, y'all. This chapter is big, I hope big enough to last through next week, too. Since it's the week of Christmas, and I'm apparently in charge of everyone's plans (at work and home)... It's going to be busy. I do have a story I'm trying to finish for the holiday, so hopefully that's going to be out. I wanted to put it out on Friday because it was the last day of Hanukah, but I ended up working a 10 hour day and trying to finish this chapter instead. So enjoy this, happy holidays, see you next time! 
> 
> [Clingy Mutt](https://www.deviantart.com/blackcatmagicdesign/art/Puppy-Love-Life-With-the-Bone-Brigade-863962501?ga_submit_new=10%3A1607882899) the tease by Brittany
> 
> [Cuddly Mutt](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/637968223912984576/chapter-30-of-life-with-the-bone-brigade-by) by Wolfbeestudio!
> 
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	32. Bun gets all the ladies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bun gets his braces fully tightened for real (notes), also a few emotional check ins.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for your patience! I've still been dragging from the virus, I feel like my brain is running slow and having trouble comprehending/ communicating things. Thank you all for all the kudos, hits, comments- I'm sorry I haven't answered any of them, yet... I'm going to try to get to them. Just have to convince my mind to stay focused and awake that long lol. 
> 
> Also! There might be some confusion, so I'm here to clear it up... Bun didn't get his braces on tight before. They mostly worked on cleaning and prepping his teeth, since he's a monster, and his teeth were so damaged. Basically, they got the brackets on and put a placeholder wire on quickly, so he could get used to it, at least, but they couldn't keep him under anesthesia any longer, and had to let him up. So, this is pretty much the continuation of applying the braces, but the next appointment available wasn't for a couple of weeks. I still have never had braces, though I have watched some videos of them being applied, but remember that Bun's circumstances are a bit different; they had to do a lot of care before they were able to apply them, and for medical reasons, you can only let patients to anesthesia for so much/ so long- because you don't want them to have adverse affects like brain damage, or die or anything... so... yep... lol. 
> 
> It was a joke that everyone loves Bun, and that he's becoming quite the "ladykiller", so if he walked through town people would flock to him, my hubby said that the other skeletons would say something along the lines of, "Bun gets all the ladies!" So, here he is, getting all the nurses- not all of them are ladies, but it makes MC more jealous if they are... She can't really compete with a guy, if he wanted a man's affections, after all. (yes, AMAB to TF counts for getting jealous, and AFAB to TM counts as not jealous in there, too. They are ladies and guys, after all; that's how they identify. Correct me if I'm wrong... I'm not trying to discount the trans part- I may just have an over simplified idea of the gender part since I myself am not trans... My mind just takes the Male/Female part of TM or TF and says, that person is male/female. The other letters just tell me a bit about their body. *shurg* You're the only one who knows you, you told me you're a lady or a guy... that's how I'm writing your affiliation in the context of word in the story...)

Bun picked another dandelion, remembering when (Y/n) had told him about them using these as salads, giving him all new hope. 

Not only had she shown him more sources for food, she'd also shown him that there was at least one person in the world who wasn't afraid of him -who could hug him, touch him without cringing- that wasn't his brother. 

His jaw turned up a bit as he remembered her bringing Suzie over, as well; another human who could cuddle up against him, even with how traditionally scary he looked. 

She got him his sight back… 

She was helping him to get his teeth back to a state that didn't hurt him, that didn't scare others at first sight… 

He felt his soul give a bit of a jump as he stood, taking the greens into the cabin to get ready to eat with dinner, and reflected on how happy his friend made him feel, remembering all the hugs, cuddles- 

When she gave him a kiss on the cheek… 

And then he remembered Sans kissing her, holding her close and letting their tongues wrestle… the pleased noises they both made… 

He felt his cheekbones heat a little with magic and focused on the task at hand.

. 

Bun stirred the pot in front of him, watching the contents mix. 

"S-Sans," he asked. 

"yeah, bro?" Sans asked from the table where he was slicing vegetables. 

"H- … How… How Did It Taste…?” 

“how did what taste,” Sans asked. 

“Wh-When You Kissed (Y/n)...?” Bun answered, curling in on himself a bit. 

"heh. never heard ya interested in that before," Sans chuckled before answering, "pretty good." 

"D- Did It… Feel Good, T-Too?" 

Sans stopped cutting and looked up at his brother in question, seeing him extremely focused on the pot in front of him, his cheekbones glowing. His sockets narrowed suspiciously. "seriously, bro; i never heard ya talkin' 'bout kissing this much. what's up?" 

Bun dropped the pretense and walked away from the pot. "I- I Never…" He sat at the table, not looking at his brother. "It's Just- You Two Both Seemed To Enjoy It So Much, And… I L- Like (Y/n), So… I Wondered If…" 

"if you'd like it, too?" 

Bun nodded. 

Sans shrugged. "if ya wanna find out, bet ya just have ta ask 'er." 

"I- I Don't Know… Do you think it would be ok to do that…? She- she _is_ my friend, but that's… not really something that just friends do… Right?" 

Sans was silent for a moment before tilting his skull. "depends on what they want, i guess." 

Bun thought about that for a moment before getting up to go back to the pot, stirring it to check it. 

"ya gonna do it?" Sans asked as he went back to cutting the vegetables. 

"I- I'll think about it…"

… … … … 

(Y/n) was a bit anxious about seeing Sans again, but she knew that she’d never be able to avoid him, even if he’d managed to avoid her for the whole week she’d been on her period, and that it would be silly to- especially since… since she’d liked when he’d kissed her- and… she kinda hoped it would happen again. 

Still, she felt a bit awkward as she walked up to the door of the cabin. 

“H-hey,” she greeted as the door was opened and Bun stood in front of her. 

“Hello, (Y/n). Sans Is Just… Being Sans, But As Soon As He’s Done, We’ll Be Ready To Go,” he told her. “A-Are You Hungry?” He asked a bit nervously. 

“No, I’m fine, thanks, though, Bun,” she told him. She was about to say something else, but was cut off by Sans coming down the stairs. 

“hey little lamb. lookin’ tasty.” The smirk his teeth were twisted into made her lose her train of thought and the memory of him kissing her flash in her mind. 

Remembering how his tongue had felt against hers, in her mouth, the way it had felt to be pressed to him, it all made a wave of heat flow through her. 

“H-hi, Sans,” she greeted back, not quite able to meet his eyelights. “Re-ready to go?” 

. 

The visit to the orthodontist was worse than the last time, Bun letting out all sorts of small, pained noises as the doctor tightened the braces to the first position they would be in. Sans didn’t handle his brother crying well, and neither did (Y/n), if she was being honest. It hurt her to hear him in distress like that. The only thing keeping her back was that she knew that it was the only way to help. 

The other people in the room seemed to be affected as well, seeming to be more hesitant and regretful of hurting him. 

Seeing someone hurt this big, sweet monster… 

It really was like someone hurting a kitten; the noises he made made you wince and tear up, want to make the underserved pain stop… 

Finally- _finally_ , they finished and Bun laid a bit limply in the chair. 

Sans was wrapped in (Y/n)’s arms, holding on to one of his brother’s hands so he couldn’t dig at his socket, and the other was between (Y/n)’s shoulderblades, twisted in the fabric of her shirt and probably tearing holes into it, his teeth were definitely tearing holes in the shoulder of her shirt with all the clenching and grinding they’d done through the procedure. 

Bun looked up at them with big, magically watery sockets, and (Y/n) gave him a soft smile. 

He looked away and started trying to climb from the chair, having a little trouble without one of his hands, he made it to the two and wrapped his arms around them, (Y/n) putting one around him, too. 

“You ok?” She asked softly and a little hesitantly. 

Bun gave a small nod and hum, feeling like he wouldn’t be able to speak with how much his jaw hurt. 

It took a few minutes to get them all detangled, but (Y/n) got them out to the waiting room, sitting Bun down so he didn’t have to hear anything about what was going on at the front desk; she didn’t want him to hear and worry about how much it was costing. 

Sans stood at the counter with her, watching his brother as he tenderly touched his jaw. The cost caught his attention, especially when (Y/n) asked about a payment plan. 

“why’d ya do that?” 

“Do what?” She asked, digging in her wallet for the card to her own account Classic had given her. 

“payment plan. that means ya can’t afford it, right? so why’d ya do it?” 

“It just means I don’t have the money at this moment; my last pay went to the last visit and gas and food and stuff, but you have to have visits every so often with braces to tighten them and keep them working. I just haven’t gotten paid to pay for this visit completely, yet.” 

Sans grumbled a bit, not liking that she was putting herself in someone’s debt, and hating that he couldn’t prevent it, or take care of it for his brother. 

“I’ll have the money soon. Besides,” she said as she looked up to where Bun was sitting, nurses now surrounding him and telling him how good he did and talking to him about the care, all of the reassurance they could give, “how could I not help him?” 

Sans couldn’t argue with that point, honestly… 

(Y/n)’s brow furrowed as Bun stood and the nurses all started giving him hugs. 

Something twinged in her chest, but she couldn’t quite tell what it was… 

“You can take your card, now,” the receptionist told her, and she jumped. 

“Oh, right, thanks,” she chuckled, taking her card and sliding it back into her wallet while looking back to the group around Bun. 

Another hug and she got a prickly feeling. 

Was- was she jealous?! 

(Y/n) shook her head and held back a soft laugh. 

Why would she be jealous? She could have a hug whenever she wanted. Right now, even, if she went over there! She didn’t have anything to be jealous over. 

… 

So then… why was she…? 

I’m not, she told herself. It would be silly… Besides! I- I really liked it when Sans kissed me- wouldn’t- wouldn’t it be unfair for me to like them both that way…? 

But… life wasn’t always fair- in fact, it rarely ever was. 

But… but… 

(Y/n)’s hand went to her chest, over her heart. 

But… she couldn’t have both- could she…? 

She felt awful and unfaithful to think that, even though she wasn’t with either one of them, but then paused, glancing up at one, then the other, remembering that monsters weren’t usually monogamous. 

Was… was this why people got into polyamorus relationships? They loved both people too much to choose? 

Or… Maybe she was only attracted to Sans physically-? 

She shook her head again, starting toward Bun to get them going on their way. 

Sans gave a soft snort of humor as he started following after her, a few steps behind. 

He’d seen that look; the conflict, the yearning, the doubt. 

The glimmer of question, hope, understanding. 

Maybe she was starting to understand and come around to how monsters did things. 

… … … … 

Sans glared through the branches of the trees, spying on the people below, watching as they gathered, passing each other like swarms of ants. 

Disgusting. 

Nasty, worthless, soulless things… only out for themselves, killing for fun and destroying lives for entertainment. 

As soon as he found that little demon he was taking them out, stealing the power to reset and bringing back his brother. 

Then finding them before they could gain any power and taking them out. 

Maybe twice. 

Maybe thrice… 

Maybe more than that. 

He couldn’t make heads or tails of the masses streaming around, not seeing any recognizable faces. 

It didn’t matter how long it took, he would find them. He’d get them. He’d _end_ them. 

_YOU’RE RIGHT, BROTHER. THEY DESERVE TO DIE A THOUSAND DEATHS FOR WHAT THEY’VE DONE. YOU SHOULD SHOW THEM. SHOW THEM WHAT THEY DESERVE. SHOW THEM WHAT IT’S LIKE TO HAVE THEIR SOUL CRACKED OVER AND OVER, TO WATCH AS THEIR LIFE IS SLOWLY ENDED WHILE THEIR TORMENTOR LAUGHS OVER THEM…_

Sans nodded. “i will, bro.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mysterious Sans is back...  
> Spooky...
> 
> [Mutt and Red getting the "clue book"](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/638216036090609664/read-in-peace-featuring-swapfellpapyrus-mutt) by Hello-quiet-one!
> 
> [Mr. Smoothberry](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/638227317190279168/look-at-him-he-knows-just-how-smooth-he-is-and) by Honeyblossomsugar!
> 
> [ADORABLE BUN!](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/638228839462535168/it-didnt-tell-me-i-was-tagged-in-this-so-im) by Honeyblossomsugar!
> 
> [Blue, that smooth mofo](https://www.deviantart.com/blackcatmagicdesign/art/Smooth-Berry-Bone-Brigade-Comic-864776885) by Brittany!
> 
> [Axe- also smooth mofo!](https://www.deviantart.com/blackcatmagicdesign/art/Should-Really-Thank-Ya-The-Bone-Brigade-864966615) by Brittany!
> 
> Hanzidanzi also drew [my profile pic](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/640506346440196096/hanzidanzi-been-reading-a-lot-from). 
> 
> If you've bee keeping up with the asks on my tumblr, you're probably caught up, but if not, I've done a bunch- and I do have a bunch of asks in line, but-  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	33. it's not like we do it on purpose, darlin'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mutt speaks- a lot! Blue is trying to be civil, and has a question to ask (Y/n).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *looks like she just woke up* Mmm... naps are nice...  
> I have a chapter for you, I hope you enjoy it!  
> Mutt gives some exposition, Blue's getting close to his heat... yep.

Mutt tugged at her sleeve again. "c'mon, darlin'. for research. gotta get close ta ya." 

(Y/n) rolled her eyes. "If you're honest." 

He nodded. 

"Would it actually help?" 

"yeah. gotta study how your pheromones affect us first so i can figure out what ta do ta counteract it." 

She studied him for a moment, but then sighed. She couldn't see any hint of lying. "Ok," she muttered, then added, "no marking." 

Mutt chuckled. "ya wound me, darlin'." He wrapped his arms around her ribs and set his jaw on her head. 

"Same rule as before; you get in the way _at all_ , you let go," she told him. 

He just hummed in response. 

. 

Blue looked over himself in the mirror, rubbing a hand down his skull. 

He looked worn out, a bit heated, like he was about to start flushing with magic, but not like he was going to start his heat any time soon. 

He sighed and started to make his way to the door, heading to the lodge. If he was syncing with (Y/n), like he should be, then she was about to start her heat, too. He’d better hurry and ask her what he wanted to! 

When he knocked and entered the lodge, he heard some commotion in the kitchen area, and headed back, finding (Y/n) in the pantry, seeming to be taking stock of what was there. But his hackles raised when he saw Mutt’s form clinging to hers. 

“MUTT,” he growled. 

(Y/n) looked up, her eyes widening at the sight he presented. “Um, Blue, are you ok?” 

_GET OFF OF HER!_ He managed to hold back his instinct to yell at the taller skeleton, but the thought still raged loudly in his mind. 

A real growl vibrated from his chest, sounding like nothing short of a warning. 

“Blue-” 

“‘s alright, darlin’, he’s just gettin’ close ta his heat,” Mutt told her as he let go and stepped back. 

“But-” 

Blue stepped closer to them, his slightly fuzzy eyelights focused on Mutt, still lightly growling. 

“relax, runt. nothin’s goin’ on,” Mutt told him carelessly as he relaxed against a shelf. 

Blue didn’t seem to calm until he thought Mutt was far enough away, though. Only then did he shake his skull, looking a bit confused as his eyelights refocused, then turned to (Y/n), reaching for her hand, but pulling back before he took it. “I… UM… I’m Sorry… For My Behavior…” He was focused on the floor, but looked up to her. “I’M NOT… WELL, AS MUTT SAID; I’M GETTING CLOSE TO MY HEAT, OF COURSE, YOU WOULD KNOW THAT, AS YOU ARE CLOSING IN ON YOUR OWN…” 

There was a low hum of desire from Mutt, which made Blue glare and growl at him again. 

“ANYWAY!” He ground through his clenched jaw, irritated as Mutt just gave an amused huff of laughter. “ANYWAY, I WANTED TO INVITE YOU TO THE FAIR THAT’S HAPPENING IN A FEW WEEKS.” 

“There’s a fair?” (Y/n) asked, thinking through what season it was and what holidays were approaching, realizing, “oh, the barrier breaking celebration.”

“YES, IT’S THE ANNIVERSARY OF WHEN THE BARRIER WAS BROKEN HERE. FREEDOM WEEK, THOUGH, LUCKILY, THEY SPREAD IT OUT OVER TWO OR THREE WEEKS IN CASE A MONSTER HAS THEIR HEAT THEN, AS IT LOOKS LIKE WE WILL FOR THE FIRST HALF,” he told her. 

“Oh, ok,” she nodded. “You- do you need an invitation to go to that? I thought anyone could get in with a ticket…?” 

“OH, NO,” Blue chuckled. “IT’S JUST TICKET PRICE TO GET IN, BUT.” Blue’s eyelights met her gaze, his smile curling a little. “I’M INVITING YOU TO BE MY DATE, IF YOU WOULD DO ME THE HONOR OF ACCOMPANYING ME THERE. WE’LL HAVE TO GO AFTER THE HEAT, BUT I WANTED TO MAKE SURE I ASKED YOU FIRST!” 

“Oh- I…” (Y/n) tilted her head, trying to figure out how to navigate her way through this situation, weighing the options of refusing, or postponing, and the added option of replacing, when it occurred to her- 

She didn’t have to say no. 

Obviously, she could if she wanted to, but this wasn’t work; Blue was not a male client who’d worked with her too much and gotten attached that she needed to redirect, and he certainly wasn’t one of the customers that came to the cafe for a meal and wanted more, thinking that leaving a bigger tip and their number on the receipt would make her want to call them. 

So, the question was; did she want to? 

“Well…” (Y/n) stalled for another moment as she decided, but when she reached the decision, she gave him a friendly smile. “Promise not to feed me glitter?” She teased. 

Blue flushed and looked down, but quickly looked back up. “ONLY IF YOU ASK FOR IT… BUT THERE WILL BE PLENTY OF OTHER FOOD THERE TO CHOOSE FROM,” he joked back with a semi sheepish grin of his own. 

“Ok, sounds like fun, then.” 

Blue’s grin widened and seemed bright enough to blind. “THANK YOU, (Y/N)! COME WITH AN EMPTY STOMACH, AND WE CAN TRY ALL OF THE FOOD THEY HAVE TO OFFER! I HEAR THERE ARE SOME HUMAN MERCHANTS THIS YEAR, AS WELL!” 

“Ok, Blue, sounds like fun,” (Y/n) told him. 

Blue looked back to Mutt, giving him a glare of dislike for a moment, which didn’t seem to affect Mutt at all, and then excused himself to go prepare for his heat. 

(Y/n) looked at the app on her phone quickly, confirming that she’d be ovulating the next week, and would get to have the joy of going into lockdown again. She made her own note to prepare as Mutt draped himself back over her shoulders. 

“ya got an app that tells ya when ya go inta heat?” He asked, a bit of a heated tone entering his voice. 

(Y/n) shot him a glare as she closed the app and screen so he couldn’t see it. “It’s not a heat. Don’t be a pervert or you’re leaving.” 

“alright, darlin’, whatever ya say,” he agreed easily as he nuzzled the top of her head. 

“Hey, Mutt,” (Y/n) started, talking slowly as she made her way through her question, “why did you back off this time?” 

“what d'ya mean?” 

“Before, when we were having that meeting, you growled back at Blue, and you guys sounded like you were going to fight…” 

Mutt let out an amused huff she felt ruffle her hair, then spoke, “we woulda fought if he pressed his luck. but, this time, we were in this small space; woulda destroyed it, and mighta hurt you.” 

(Y/n)’s lips twitched toward a smile at that, but turned back down as something else that was troubling her surfaced. “Mutt, why did you… why do you all just… pretend like the things that you say, the stuff you _do_ , when you’re around your heats, just- didn't happen? Some of those things have been pretty nasty, and I know forgiving people who wouldn’t let that go…” 

Mutt shrugged before nuzzling her again. “it’s not like we mean any of it.” 

“What?” 

“yeah. ya ever hear about how near death encounters affect your judgment?” 

“A little, yeah,” she admitted. 

“‘s like that; anythin’ we say- ah, what’s the human sayin’? …nn, yeah- should be taken with a grain of salt. our minds aren’t functioning well, our instincts kickin’ in and floodin' ‘em with chemicals tellin' us that we gotta mate- and not much else gets through.” 

"But- they still _said_ it," she insisted. 

Mutt was silent for a moment. 

"ya ever been with someone who took drugs?" 

"Um…?" (Y/n) wasn't sure how to answer. 

"like somethin' that made them not quite in reality." 

Off the bat, she could think of a few clients they'd had to work through med adjustments, and who had been out of their mind for a bit. "Yeah, I- I get that…" 

"would ya ever blame them for sayin' somethin' crazy 'r aggressive?" He asked. 

(Y/n) thought of one of her clients, _convinced_ that the only way she could make her neighbors like her was to set fire to their porch, and then put it out and somehow look like a hero… 

And another client who had paranoid delusions about people coming into the house and using black magic and voodoo against her, slapping herself, among other things while they were trying to get her diagnosed correctly and onto a med to help. 

Would she ever blame them for how their brains functioned? For how psychotropic meds messed with their minds? 

"No," she answered. 

Mutt made a noise along the lines of, 'see?' 

"same thing," he told her. 

"So… you're saying that… being in heat is like someone messed with your meds and got you really high, or something?" 

He made a noise in agreement. 

"And it hurts," she asked tentatively, not quite sure how much to believe without double checking it. 

Mutt made a louder noise of agreement that she took to mean he agreed more. 

"Is it, like… bad…?" 

He made another noise to indicate it was. 

"Really bad?" 

"mmhm," he hummed, noting that she'd stopped actually doing anything. "what's got ya all worried 'bout it?" 

She bit her lip, then made an almost disgruntled noise. "It- it really sounds like… it sucks…" 

"it does," he agreed. 

"And there's nothing you can do, not even something like the repression thing you're working on for me?" 

"nothin' but gettin' a partner and get rid of the extra magic as quick as ya can while ya hole up." 

(Y/n)'s brow pinched as she looked at the things in the pantry absently, her mind troubled. She really wished there was something that would help, something she could do… 

She put that thought aside, realizing how quiet it was now. 

“You know, I think this is the most you’ve ever spoken around me…” 

“hm,” Mutt hummed back. 

“It’s kinda nice to actually have a conversation, instead of awkward silence,” she told him, and he chuckled. 

“well, ya ever wanna talk, i’ll listen.” 

“A conversation is more than one person, Mutt,” she sighed. 

He just hummed in reply, again, staying silent for a moment before offering, “well, if ya wanna talk more, ya could come ta work with me some day… got nothin’ ta do there but sit around. it’s where i’m gonna have ta work on the repressor, anyway.” 

“You really don’t do anything at work but sit there?” She asked, and he gave an agreeable noise in response. “And your boss really doesn’t say anything or care?” 

Mutt chuckled, his breath brushing against her neck tantalizingly. “he really doesn’t care.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, I have heard of, and worked with clients that have done those things- can I just tell you that undiagnosed paranoid schizophrenia is one of the most dangerous things to have? Because it can be- like, in the way of murder... If you want an insight into how that type of mental illness messes with your perception of reality, watch "the Voices" with Ryan Reynolds and pay attention to what his apartment looks like normally, and what it looks like when he takes his meds. 
> 
> If you've bee keeping up with the asks on my tumblr, you're probably caught up, but if not, I've done a bunch- and I do have a bunch of asks in line, but-  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!


	34. Hugs and kisses

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bun's kissing lesson! And Blue's heat...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your patience!!! It's been a super crazy couple of weeks. I could barely get everything done, was in quarantine at work (client having procedure), and lost/ losing two staff! So sad (for one of them).  
> Anyway, some things are going on in here. We've been seeing a lot of Blue lately, and next chapter is their date to the fair! 
> 
> SMUTTY SIN AHEAD!

(Y/n) looked up from the note she was writing as the door in front of her opened. "Hi, Bun," she greeted with a smile. She was a bit confused about why he blushed, but followed him inside. 

"H-Hello, (Y/n)..." 

Sans looked up from the book he was reading in his chair. "hey, lamb. what's _cookin'_?" He chuckled. 

"Just making the list for shopping, came to see if you needed or wanted anything," she answered as she held up the list she’d been working on for two days. 

"new tv," Sans answered immediately. 

"What-" (Y/n) stopped, leaning to see the tv as she suspiciously asked, "what happened to your tv?" 

"Sans Broke It," Bun answered. 

"it wasn't doing what i wanted it to…" 

(Y/n) was just about to ask what happened when Bun turned on the TV and the screen flickered, a crack now showing across it, a deep black color that looked like it almost pooled along it, dead sections in chunks around it. Lines of blue spread out from the crack and bars of wrong colored pixels made it a strange sight, almost like a piece of art she didn’t understand. 

"He Was Trying To Watch One Of His Shows, But The Tv Kept Cutting Out, And Nothing Would Fix It. So He Threw The Remote At It." 

Sans shrugged carelessly. 

"Hm… I might have to ask Classic about how much is left in the account… But I'll do what I can," she told them with a nod. "Anything else I can get for you?" 

"paps's got somethin' he wants ta ask ya for," Sans commented, giving Bun a sly grin. 

Bun made a startled noise as more magic color flooded his cheekbones. 

"What do you want, Bun?" (Y/n) asked, looking so… innocent- so completely innocent! 

She had no idea what it was that he would be asking- and damn his brother for throwing him to the wolves, so to say… 

"I- I…" 

She was still looking at him, waiting expectantly for an answer. 

"N-No- I- He- He Was Kidding! I Don't Have Anything To Ask!" 

"yes you do," Sans told him, giving him a verbal push. 

"N-No- I!" He protested.

"It's ok, Bun," (Y/n) assured him, giving him a smile. "Whatever you need, I'll do my best to get it for you. You just have to tell me what it is." 

"yeah, paps," Sans encouraged, "ya just gotta ask." 

Bun floundered for a little bit longer before giving in. "I- I Was Wondering, (Y/n)- I- I Saw You An- And Sans K-Kissing, And-!" 

The most adorable look of embarrassment flashed over her face, or the two skeletons thought it was adorable, at least. (Y/n) was certain that she looked like an idiot. 

"AND IT- IT MADE ME WONDER IF I WOULD LIKE KISSING, TOO!" Bun's cheekbones were drenched in the color of his magic when he finished. 

"O-oh…" (Y/n) chewed the inside of her lip for a moment. This was a first for her; she'd never kissed one sibling and had the other say that made them want to kiss someone… 

"I- If It Makes You Feel Uncomfortable, I… y-you can forget I said anything…" 

(Y/n) looked at the poor, giant blushing boy in confusion. "You're an adult, Bun… Why would I be-?" 

"he wants ta kiss _you_ ," Sans cut in, breaking any misunderstanding before it could get started. 

(Y/n)'s head snapped from Sans to Bun. She closed her mouth on a surprised noise and her eyes darted away. "I, um… didn't… realize you meant me…" 

"obviously," Sans snorted softly, and (Y/n) shot him a glare. 

"(Y/n), W- Would It Be Alright- If I Kissed You…?" Bun asked nervously. 

(Y/n) turned back to him and felt her face heat up. "Y-yeah, Bun, that- that'd be ok…" 

Blushing, Bun got closer. He lifted his hands, but let them drift back down. They only made it down a bit before he lifted them again, but they drifted back down again, and his cheeks darkened. 

"U-Um… H- How Do You… Start?" 

(Y/n) took a breath, her lips parting as she thought about that, pondering that she knew how to kiss, but if she stopped and thought about it, the question of how to start a kiss, especially how to explain how to do it, stumped her. 

How… how _did_ you start a kiss…? 

“here, lemme show ya,” Sans said, moving to stand in front of her. 

(Y/n)’s brows lifted as he put his hand on her side. 

“ya ok with that, lamb?” He asked. 

“Y-y- ok…” She consented after a stutter. 

Sans gave her a sly smirk before he turned to look at Bun over his shoulder. “watch close, bro,” he instructed before he leaned forward and pressed his teeth to her lips. There was a moment of nuzzling before his teeth coaxed her lips to part, and his tongue slid in to skillfully dance with hers. 

(Y/n) could feel her body temperature rising the longer Sans’ tongue was in her mouth, the longer her body was pressed tight against his. Then, he pulled back, and she let out a breath, blinking to gather herself. 

Only for Bun to wrap an arm around her waist, leaning low to be the best height. “Like This?” He asked Sans, his teeth touching (Y/n)’s lips. 

He was inexperienced, his placement and movements a little sloppy, but intent must be a big part of kissing for monsters, because his kiss felt like a warm, safe hug. It was as if he had wrapped her in a blanket and was holding her at his side next to a fire. 

Bun pulled back, and (Y/n) blinked in confusion at the strange feeling. 

“like this, bro.” 

(Y/n) barely caught his words before Sans’ mouth was again pressed against hers, radiating wild emotions, feral feelings that spoke of dark spaces and quick, desperate movements of two bodies moving together to find their pleasure. His tongue sought out hers in the same manner, and she gasped for breath against his mouth, her hands finding his forearms and holding onto them in the hurricane of feeling. 

And then it was over, and he pulled back, leaving her dizzy as his arms left her hands, her eyes not quite making it open before another set of teeth were pressed to her lips, this set moving very carefully so that the braces they wore wouldn't hurt her. 

The hug was back- a cold winter’s night, held tight in a loved one's arms and sharing heat under a blanket, showing one another their love in the most innocent of ways. 

It clashed with the passion and carnal need that Sans' kiss gave off, but somehow complimented it perfectly. 

(Y/n)'s eyes fluttered open as Bun pulled back, and she rushed to try to regain her bearings. 

Bun kissed her again, then pulled back and hummed uncertainly. 

(Y/n) caught her breath as she looked up at him. 

"well, what'd ya think, bro?" Sans asked. 

"Ummm…" He sounded nervous, his hands fidgeting as he looked away. 

"Did you like kissing?" (Y/n) asked. 

"It- It Was Ok… I Just… Maybe I Did It Wrong," Bun told her, going to lean forward again. 

"No, don't think so," (Y/n) told him, catching him before he could kiss her again. 

"ya did it just fine, bro," Sans assured. 

"I- I, um…" Bun looked distressed. 

"It's ok if you didn't like it, Bun," (Y/n) told him with a reassuring smile. "Not everyone likes the same things. I know people who hate being touched at all." 

"I… I think I like hugging better…" He admitted softly, staring at the floor. 

(Y/n) renewed her smile and hugged him. "Hugging is nice, too." 

Bun hugged her back, resting his skull on her head. 

Sans chuckled and wrapped his arms around the two. "hugs're nice and all," he told them, turning his skull to (Y/n), "but i'd still rather-" He froze as his nasal ridge pressed against her neck. 

"Rather what, Sans?" (Y/n) asked, going to pull back to look at him, but stopped when he growled. "Um, S-Sans…?" She asked uncertainly. 

Bun freed himself a little to look down at his brother, one hand adjusting his glasses. "Sans? Are You Alright?" 

Sans didn't answer, just nuzzled against (Y/n)'s shoulder. 

A shiver of half discomfort and half anticipation went down her spine. 

"He's- The- The Term Is Disassociate, I Think," Bun told her softly. "He'll Come Back, Just- Don't Move Too Much…" 

(Y/n) kept her eyes on Sans as well as she could, listening as Bun spoke softly to her, trying to keep her calm as he slowly pulled Sans away from her. 

His eyelight was fuzzy, wavering as space was put between them, and it stayed that way for a moment before stabilizing and shrinking, his facial bones giving a twitch. 

"That Was Different Than Before," Bun commented to Sans, who gave a nod in reply.

"she's gettin' close ta heat," he commented. 

(Y/n)'s brows met. "Um, t-tomorrow, actually," she told them. “So the app says, anyway.”

Bun's eyelights shot to his brother. "SANS! IS IT-?! ARE YOU FEELING A HEAT?! LIKE THE OTHERS DID?!" 

"I thought you didn't have heats anymore…?" (Y/n) asked, confusion clear in her voice. "Th- that's why…" 

"feels like a heat's startin'," Sans told Bun. "surprised i'm not startin’ ta glow already…" 

Bun twisted his hands around each other. “Oh- Oh, Dear… That’s… Unexpected…” 

“What’s happening?” (Y/n) asked. 

“It Seems… Sans’ Heats Are… Returning…” 

Sans’ eye went fuzzy and he sniffed in her direction before shaking his skull and blinking. “probably… due ta… havin’ enough food, finally…” 

(Y/n) opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say, so she shut it again, but realized a moment later; “but- that means- I’ll be up here all alone and- have no backup…” Her mind was speeding, trying to figure out how to solve this. Maybe… getting a hotel room down in town…? 

For a week _every_ month? 

At that point, why still stay up here, why not move down to town… 

“No, I Can- Be Your Backup,” Bun told her, his cheekbones gaining a bit of magic. 

“But, if his heat is coming back, doesn’t that mean that yours would, too?” She asked in confusion. 

“Yes, I Suppose It Would… But It Doesn’t Matter.”

“Wu- but I thought the only reason I was safe with you two is that you didn’t have heats?” She questioned, her eyes moving between the brothers. Sans’ eyelight was looking fuzzy, and he was being a bit too quiet for her taste… right up until he suddenly turned and started up the stars, presumably to his room. 

“Oh, No,” Bun told her matter of factly as he watched his brother start upstairs, but then gained a little nervousness.

Sexuality didn’t matter so much in the Underground, but from what he’d seen and heard about on the tv and internet, humans didn’t feel the same way. They could be downright… murderous… about it… 

(Y/n) was his friend, though… He… He could trust _her_ , right? His soul desperately wanted that to be the truth. She… She wouldn’t hurt him, surely… She… She was a special friend… 

“I- You’re Safe Around Me Because- Because I’m… Asexual…” His voice was soft at the end, and it ended in an unspoken question; how would she react? 

(Y/n)’s brow furrowed in question. The first thing that came to mind was how plants reproduce. 

He could… reproduce without anyone else involved…? Like a cell splitting or something…? 

Wait, no… that was stupid, (Y/n), she thought to herself. She needed to use her brain. It must have another meaning… Asexual… Aaase- Oh, ace! She almost wanted to facepalm at herself. Oh my god… She groaned internally. 

A- sexual. As in not being sexual. A, as in, ‘ah, no thanks,’ to sexual stuff. A(bsent) sexual (desire). She felt like her IQ was maybe a tad lower than she’d started the day thinking. 

“Oh.” 

Bun felt like his magic was swirling in circles in his bones. ‘Oh’- that was all…? Just ‘Oh’?

“So… you don’t have a heat?” She asked. 

“I- I Do Have A Heat,” he told her. 

“Oh.” 

Just ‘Oh’ again…? 

“But you don’t, like, wanna… jump on people- like a horny rabbit…?” She made a half gesture to the stairs Sans had disappeared up as she asked, her vocal chords trying to lose the will to make noise halfway through. She really wanted to roll her eyes at herself and facepalm, now. 

“W-Well- I Don’t Just Suddenly Gain Sexual Desire Because I’m In Heat…” Bun told her. 

“Of course,” she nodded, face covered in regret. “That would be… stupid…” She needed to leave before she made a bigger jackass out of herself. “I- I’m sorry, I’ve got to go…” 

Bun felt like his non existent stomach was in his nonexistent throat. Was that- did she hate him-? 

“I’ll see what I can do about a tv for Sans,” she told Bun as she looked up at him. “And I’ll text you when I manage to get my foot out of my mouth.” 

Her smile told him that the irritation she felt was aimed at herself, and she had no negative feelings toward him. 

Bun hesitated, then leaned forward and wrapped her in a hug. “I don’t see any feet in your mouth, just my dear friend’s confused questions.” 

She chuckled at that and pulled back, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before pulling back to leave. “Thanks, Bun. Talk to you later.” 

Bun stood in place, a hand lifting to his cheek. That kiss felt nice. Much nicer than the others. 

Probably because it was only given with love, and not with any other expectations. 

… … … … 

Blue pulled at his shirt, growling as the collar resisted. 

He was _so fucking uncomfortable!_

It was hell… 

Living with something suffocating him like this was hell! 

He threw his button up uniform shirt across the room, glaring at it the whole way. 

Good riddance. 

Managing to sit on the edge of his bed, he pulled his boots off and threw them across the room, too. It was only a moment later that he shot up and fought his pants open and off of him, kicking them in a general ‘away’ direction. 

His pacing footsteps criss crossed his room, not quite in a pattern, but not quite random. He felt a little better now that he wasn’t so covered, but the need to _do something_ , something other than pace, something useful, was eating at him, making him aimless and frustrated. 

He turned and went back to his neatly made bed, pulling the top bedding off and tossing it back on in a mess; much more comfortable… 

Blue’s bones felt like they were stretching, as if he was trying to bend them in a way he shouldn’t, a dull ache setting in. 

He needed some _relief_! 

After climbing onto the bed then growling and shoving things around, he heard a crinkle of plastic. 

He stopped moving, his growling stopped as well and slowly turned to a soft purr as his glare turned into a big smile, his tongue swiping over his teeth. 

That’s right; the special item he’d procured after asking (Y/n) out to the fair was waiting for him, his heat brain had almost made him forget completely. 

He carefully moved things around until he saw the plastic ziploc bag near his pillow and pulled it to him, feeling his magic rushing lower and raising him from half mast to fully engorged. 

Just seeing the bag, it’s contents through the clear sides, was getting him all revved up. Drool was starting to build up in his mouth, and he had to run his tongue over his teeth again to make sure it wasn’t dripping from his jaw. 

A soft clacking sound as the sides began to unseal, and a needy groan rumbled from him. 

He felt his magic starting to waft off of him slightly to act as a pheromone signal to his mate, his eyelights fuzzy as his tongue got a bit floppy, poking out just a bit from between his teeth. 

He was so glad he’d gotten this a couple of days ago, hidden it in the tight sealing bag to preserve its scent, and had it ready for himself. 

Blue turned the bag upside down and dumped its contents onto the bed, one hand closing around it. 

Oh stars, the smeeell- the smell, the smell, the _smell_! 

He could see that he was already stiff enough he was starting to push through the opening of his boxers, heavy breaths starting to pant out from him as he dropped to his hands and petellas, landing over a plush pillow. He lifted the hand holding his prize level with his skull and sniffed, his eyelights fuzzing more as a possessive growl left him, and he felt his cock twitch. 

His other hand moved to wrap his phalanges around his swollen cock, and he balanced for a moment as he started stroking, but with another sniff and groan, he fell face first onto the pillow, one hand between his spread femurs and stroking him, the other near where his skull was turned toward it on the bed, his wonderful scent trophy filling his senses with its smell. 

The pillow was so soft under his skull, and images of (Y/n)’s breasts popped into his mind. 

They’d be so soft, so perfect…

He’d nuzzle and lick at them, nipping and squeezing them, playing with them- making her moan and cry out, her hands pulling at him, silently begging him for more, for him to fill her with his cock… 

Stars- her gorgeous breasts were perfect already, so soft and supple- and they’d get bigger… Blue growled as his hand squeezed him a bit tighter than he’d meant to, his hips giving a buck. 

When he mated her, filled her to the brim with his seed and she carried his young- he throbbed in his hand and sped up his motions a little, his hips starting to thrust forward -they’d fill with milk, those perfect, soft mounds, and swell… they’d be so sore, but he’d rub them for her, every day, as long as she wanted- as long as she’d let him! 

Maybe… a bit longer than she’d let him… until she had to bat him away… 

And her poor, swollen, tender teats… they’d leak milk… milk she’d use to feed their young- 

Blue growled and tightened his hand as he worked his hips, thrusting hard and fast, his jaw clenching and knot starting to swell as he got closer to orgasm. 

He couldn’t wait- 

Couldn’t wait to see her so soft and fruitful- 

Couldn’t wait to fill her with his seed- 

Couldn’t wait to push his knot into her- 

Couldn’t wait to hear her beg- 

Pleading and crying out for more, desperately needing his cock shoved as deep as possible inside her, his knot trapping him, and any cum that might try to leak out- 

Her mating scent filling the air around him like it was right now- 

Blue came with a harsh bellow, his pelvis jolting forward sharply a few times to make sure his knot was snug as he began spilling on the pillow below him. 

A prolonged groan came from him against the pillow as he rode his high and sank into the soft, relaxed state of post orgasm bliss. 

His socket cracked open to see his hand clenched around his treasure. 

He should probably feel bad for what he’d done; for going into (Y/n)’s room without permission… 

He should certainly feel guilty for digging around in her things… 

And he should definitely feel awful for taking one! 

But… 

Blue just couldn’t seem to manage feeling bad when he saw the sweet perfume scented, delicate fabric of the pair of her panties he’d snuck from her dirty laundry basket clutched in his carpals… 

A prize well won.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I was going to post this, then stream playing Pokemon Green, but maybe tomorrow... So tired... Love you guys! Please have a wonderful day/ night!!!
> 
> [I swear, it's cover art!](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/post/643321498062520320/hanzidanzi-life-with-the-bone-brigade)
> 
> If you've bee keeping up with the asks on my tumblr, you're probably caught up, but if not, I've done a bunch- and I do have a bunch of asks in line, but-  
> If you have anything you want to send me (asks, questions, whatever- fan art? *hopeful puppy dog eyes*) you can do so on my [tumblr](https://valkyrieofsmut.tumblr.com/)!

**Author's Note:**

> As a note, if you didn't read the tags, a couple of the skeles are asexual, and one is demisexual. Doesn't mean that they can't start relationships with the reader later, they just don't want to immediately jump her bones!


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